Tape printing device with character enlargement and rotation logic

ABSTRACT

A tape printing device includes a key input for inputting characters and symbols, a memory for storing data representing the input characters and symbols, a tape-width detector for detecting width of a loaded tape, an enlargement printing command receiver for receiving command information concerning an enlargement printing mode. In the enlargement printing mode a pseudo label, whose size is N times that of a label in a normal printing mode, is obtained when arranging tape-sections widthwise of the tape in such a manner as to join, after dividing the printed tape into N tape length sections, wherein N is an integer of at least two. A computer determines the printing attribute for each of the N tape sections in accordance with the characters and symbols stored in memory and tape width detected by the tape-width detector. A printer serially prints on the end character-string portions in the manner determined by the computer for the respective tape length sections. The method involves designating an enlargement ratio, detecting the tape width of the loaded tape, selecting one of plural character fonts for printing a character string and determining printing parameters for each of plural tape sections in accordance with the enlargement ratio, the tape width and the selected character font, the tape sections being obtained by dividing the tape across the length of the tape.

The present application is a continuation of applicants' applicationU.S. Ser. No. 08/682,716 filed Jul. 29, 1996, now issued as U.S. Pat.No. 5,795,086.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a tape printing device for printing oneor more lines of input characters on strip-like tape.

2. Background Art

In the case of a conventional tape printing device for printing a titleon the spine of a binder or on what is called a title label to beattached to a cassette for use in a VCR (VIDEO CASSETTE RECORDER) or ina VTR (VIDEO TAPE RECORDER), input characters entered by using keys orthe like for inputting characters are printed on a side of tape, on theother side of which an adhesive layer is formed, by performing a thermaltransfer printing or the like. Thereby, an objective printed tape isproduced.

In the conventional tape printing device, operating elements (keys orbuttons or the like) for entering information representing charactersare placed on a console panel. Users can input a desired sequence ofcharacters by operating these operating elements for enteringinformation representing characters. Moreover, this conventional tapeprinting device is formed in such a manner that tape can be fed througha tape discharging slot by driving a tape feeding mechanism.Furthermore, a printing mechanism, which is constituted by a thermalprint head, and a tape cutting mechanism are placed in series in thispassage for tape.

When a print directing key is operated, a control means of the tapeprinting device controls and causes the tape feeding mechanism to feedthe tape at a predetermined speed. The control means further controlsand causes a print station to print preliminarily inputted characters onthe fed tape. Moreover, upon completion of printing of a sequence of thecharacters, the control means of the tape printing device continuouslycontrols and causes the tape feeding mechanism to feed the tape withoutprinting characters (namely, perform a non-printing feeding operation onthe tape) until a printed part of the tape goes out of the device.Thereafter, the control means causes the tape feeding mechanism to makethe tape stop running.

Further, after the tape stops running, a user operates the tape cuttingmechanism to thereby obtain a custom label, on which the sequence ofdesired characters are printed.

Meanwhile, a user sometimes inputs character strings erroneously to thetape printing device of such a kind and operates a printing operationelement without being aware of an error. Further, the tape printingdevice of such a kind is adapted so that a user can freely designate thetypefaces, sizes and arrangement of characters and so forth. However, auser sometimes causes the tape printing device to print characterswithout correcting attributes of characters, which have been erroneouslydesignated. Further, sometimes, a user advertently operates the printingoperation element halfway through a character inputting stage.

Upon occasion, a user is aware of such an error in the middle of acharacter printing operation. The conventional tape printing device,however, possesses the properties that a medium, on which characters areprinted, is tape and that the number of characters to be printed isconsiderably small and a print time is short, in comparison with otherkinds of character information processors (for example, what is called aword processor). Thus the conventional tape printing device does nothave the function of stopping a printing operation. Therefore, when auser wishes to cease printing so as to effectively avoid wastingexpensive tape, the user operates a power-supply operation element andturns off the power to thereby cease printing.

Thereafter, the user turns on the power again and corrects the error.Subsequently, the user causes the device to perform a non-printing feedoperation on tape and then print the correct characters again. Thus theuser obtains a desired label.

However, such an operation of turning off the power and printingcharacters again in this way has the problem that if such an operationis not performed without errors, the tape is wasted.

As shown in FIG. 1(A), in the case of the conventional tape printingdevice, a thermal printing head 2 and a tape cutting mechanism 3 areplaced in series on a tape transport passage on which tape T is moved bya tape feeding mechanism (not shown) in the direction of an arrow A(incidentally, an ink ribbon is omitted). Therefore, when the power isturned off and the printing operation is suspended, unfinished tape isleft between the thermal printing head 2 and the tape cutting mechanism3 (see FIG. 1(B)).

Thus, a label, on the leading part of which an unnecessary character isprinted, is made if the power is then turned on and the printingoperation is performed again without a non-printing feeding of the tape.Therefore, in the case that the power is turned off halfway through aprinting operation, it is necessary to perform a non-printing feedingoperation on tape and then cut the tape before the next printingoperation is instructed. However, when a user wrongly operates aprinting operation element in the tape printing device, a user may notperform a non-printing feeding operation on tape. Further, the user mayturn off the power and leave the tape. In such a case, the user isrequired to cut a label, which is made by resuming a printing operationon the tape, namely, by arranging a character string, which has not beenprinted, at the head of a character string to subsequently be printed onthe tape, at the front position of the label with scissors or the like.

Moreover, even in the case that the tape has been fed without printingcharacters or the like, if the amount of a fed part of tape is toosmall, an unnecessary character may be printed at the front position ofthe label (see FIG. 1(B)). Conversely, if too large, the tape is wastedby the amount of an excessively fed part thereof (see FIG. 1(C)).

Objects to be printed by the tape printing device are labels. Thus, inthe case of printing a label by using the tape printing device, it isvery frequent that a user requires the tape printing device to printmixed characters of various character sizes thereon, as compared withthe case of making printed matter by using other kinds of characterinformation processors. The tape printing device, therefore, havecharacters of various character sizes available. Moreover, the tapeprinting device is adapted so that the character size can be easilyaltered in a part of a character string to be printed. Such variouscharacter sizes include not only character sizes of charactersrepresented by blocks of dots, in each of which the number of lines ofdots is equal to that of rows of dots, but also other character sizes ofcharacters, each of which is laterally shrunken. Thus, there areprovided many kinds of the sizes of full-size characters. Further, thecharacter size of a character can be easily changed among the sizes offull-size characters. Consequently, half-size characters are notavailable in the conventional tape printing device. When a user requeststhe conventional tape printing device to print a character of the sizewhich is of the order of the half size, the tape printing device copeswith such a request by using a smaller full-size character size.

Here, the half-size character is a character whose width is half theprinting width of an ordinary character. Especially, in the case ofkanji characters of Japanese and Chinese, the number of dots requiredfor forming a kanji character is larger than that of dots required forforming a letter of the English alphabet. Thus, in the case of printinga numeric character that can be represented by dots of the number whichis as small as that of dots required for representing a letter of theEnglish alphabet, usually, both of a corresponding half-size numericcharacter, whose character width is half the character width of a kanjicharacter, and a corresponding full-size numeric character, whichrepresents a number by using dots of the same number as of dots requiredto represent a kanji character, are properly used.

Further, labels, which are printed matter made by using the tapeprinting device, are frequently used as those to be attached to thespine of a file cover, to a cassette tape for use in AV equipment. Inthe case when put to such uses, character strings printed on labelsoften contain dates. Moreover, files and cassette tapes are often placedin longitudinal positions, respectively. Therefore, labels, on each ofwhich characters are written and printed in such a manner that thecharacters are written longitudinally or vertically thereon, namely, insuch a way that the direction of height of each of the characters is inagreement with the longitudinal or vertical direction of tape, arefrequently attached thereto in longitudinal or vertical positions,respectively.

Thus, in the case that a character string contains Japanese characters"10 23 " representing "October 23rd", if such a character string isprinted in such a way that the direction of height of each of thecharacters is in agreement with the longitudinal direction of tape, alabel printed with the characters "1", "0", "", "2", "3" and "", whichare individually longitudinally or vertically written and are aligned inthe longitudinal or vertical direction of the tape, is obtained.Consequently, when reading the printed character string, a user feels astrong sense of incongruity. Even if the size of the numeric characterscontained in the character string representing the date are made to besmaller than that of the other characters, or even if the shrunkencharacter size is selected as the size of the numeric characters, thecharacters "1", "0", "", "2", "3" and "" remain individuallylongitudinally or vertically written and aligned in the longitudinal orvertically direction of the tape. Thus, a user still feels a strongsense of incongruity when reading the character string.

It is not only in the case of longitudinally or vertically writing thecharacters that a user feels a sense of incongruity when reading thecharacters. Even in the case of laterally or horizontally writing thecharacters, when a plurality of numeric characters are aligned, a usersometimes feels a sense of incongruity. For example, in the case thatJapanese characters "1234 "" or the like contained in a character stringrepresenting an address are printed, the intervals, at which thesenumeric characters are written, sometimes appear to be too long.

Further, in the case of a label formed in the herein-above describedmanner, margins are provided in front of and behind a portion of aportion, on which the character string is printed, of tape in thelongitudinal direction thereof by performing the aforementionednon-printing feeding operation on the tape. In the case of theconventional tape printing device, the length of such a margin is fixed.Actually, the tape used in the tape printing device is provided withreleased paper on the back surface thereof and is adapted so that whenthe released paper is peeled off, the tape can adhere to something.Moreover, the tape is adapted so that a thermal transfer of charactersthereon can be achieved, and is enclosed in a tape cartridge. As aresult, the tape has become expensive. Consequently, hitherto, thelength of the margins has been fixed at a value that is set as short aspossible.

The label, however, consists of a text portion and front, rear, top andbottom margins. Thus, if the length of, for example, the front and rearmargins is set at a fixed value, a user cannot freely set the balancebetween the text portion and the space for the margins, so that a usersometimes is not satisfied with the set balance therebetween.

Thus, there has already been proposed a tape printing device adapted sothat a user can designate the length of the front and rear margins froma plurality of kinds of values. However, some of tapes, which can beloaded into tape printing devices, have various kinds of tape widths.Even if the length of the margins is set in such a manner as to be mostsuitable for a tape having a certain width, this length of the marginsis too long or too short for labels obtained by printing the characterson tapes having other tape widths. Therefore, every alteration of thetape to be loaded, it is necessary to perform an operation of changingthe length of the margins. Thus, such a tape printing device issusceptible to improvement in operability thereof.

Further, a tape feeding mechanism entails a mechanistic operation andthus the power consumption thereof is large. As above described, thetape is expensive, so that when making a label, it is required thatuseless or wasteful parts of the tape are reduced as much as possible.Even in the case of the conventional tape printing device, a tapeportion provided between a print head and a cutter mechanism is used asa front margin to be provided in front of the next text part to beprinted. Thereby, the efficiency in using the tape, as well as theefficiency in consuming the power, is enhanced. However, in the casethat for example, the length of the front margin is short, the tapeportion provided between the print head and the cutter mechanism iswasted. Therefore, the aforementioned requirement is not fullysatisfied.

Moreover, late or recent tape printing devices are adapted to deal withtapes of a large number of kinds of tape widths. Namely, the recent tapeprinting devices nearly satisfy user's requirements concerning the kindsof the tape width. It is, however, thought that a user needs a labelwhose width is wider than the widest width of the tapes used by the tapeprinting devices. Although a tape printing device may be configured insuch a manner as to be able to deal with wider tape, it is consideredfrom the viewpoint of cost-performance or the like as verydisadvantageous to configure a tape printing device by taking a tapewidth, which is employed extremely rarely, into account.

Thus, there has been contrived an enlargement printing system whereby apseudo label being equivalent to a label, which has a width being Ntimes the width of tape loaded in the system and is printed withenlarged characters, is obtained by first dividing a tape, the printingof which is completed, into N sub-tapes aligned in the longitudinaldirection of the tape, and by subsequently placing the N sub-tapes insuch a manner as to adjoin in the direction of the width of the tape.For instance, as illustrated in FIG. 2(A), in the case of performing theenlargement printing by employing 2 times as a magnification orenlargement ratio, an upper half MU of an object such as a characterstring to be printed is first printed on a tape T. Then, a margin of apredetermined length is left thereon. Subsequently, a lower half MD ofthe object to be printed is printed thereon.

Incidentally, in the case of a tape printing device whose main purposeis to make a label, it is required to make a label readable easily byproviding top and bottom margins arranged in the direction of the widthof tape. Thus, when printing normally, the top and bottom margins areformed by setting the printable width of a print head at a value that isnarrower than the width of tape loaded into the device. If the settingof the printable width of a print head at a value, which is narrowerthan the width of tape loaded into the device, is employed, it isunnecessary to alter a structure for driving the print head. Therefore,such a setting is preferable. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 2(A),the top and bottom margins can be also formed when performing theenlargement printing.

After the tape T, on which the enlargement printing is completed asabove described, is divided into a fore-tape-portion T1 and ahind-tape-portion T2 (see FIG. 2(B)), the top and bottom margins formedon each of the tape-portions T1 and T2 at the time of the enlargementprinting are cut off therefrom. Then, these tape-portions T1 and T2obtained by dividing the tape are placed side by side in the verticaldirection as viewed in this figure. Thereby, a large label, whose widthis wider than that of the tape, can be formed.

If, however, a dividing position is shifted from a predeterminedposition when dividing the tape T into the fore-tape-portion T1 and thehind-tape-portion T2, the front and rear edges of the upper tape-portionT1 are shifted from those of the lower tape-portion T2, respectively, inthe case that these tape-portions are stuck to each other so that thetext part of the tape-portion T1 is not shifted from that of thetape-portion T2 laterally. Further, in the case that the dividingposition is shifted from the predetermined position, if the twotape-portions T1 and T2 are stuck to each other so that the front orrear edge of the tape-portion T1 is adjusted to the corresponding one ofthe front and rear edges of the tape-portion T2, the text part of theupper tape-portion is shifted from that of the lower tape-portion. Thus,a desirable label is not obtained. On the contrary, an awkward label isformed.

Furthermore, when removing the top and bottom margins, if these marginsare not correctly cut and removed straight, a gap is formed between theupper text part and the lower text part (as illustrated in FIG. 2(C)).Alternatively, the upper text part and the lower text part are placed insuch a manner as to overlap each other unnaturally.

Incidentally, as a device for making a rendering tape on condition thata printed part is transferred, there has already been proposed a devicehaving an enlargement printing function (refer to the Japanese PatentLaying-Open (Kokai) No. 6-162256/1988 Official Gazette). In the case ofmaking a rendering tape, even if the dividing position is shifted fromthe mid-point of the tape from which the two tape-portions are obtained,it is no problem because a printed part is transferred onto anothersheet of paper or the like. Moreover, because of the condition that theprinted part is transferred, it is unnecessary to form the top andbottom margins to be provided in the direction of the width of the tape,when printing. Therefore, there are not caused the aforementioneddisadvantages of the tape printing device which aims mainly to themaking of a label.

It is a first object of the present invention to provide a tape printingdevice which can form a label as a user desires, without wasting tape.

Further, it is a second object of the present invention to provide atape printing device which can reduce a waste of tape even when stoppinga printing operation, and can easily perform the subsequent operation.

Moreover, it is a third object of the present invention to provide atape printing device which can increase the variety of manners ofprinting numeric characters, thereby obtaining a label on which aplural-digit number representing a date, an address and so on areprinted in such a way as to cause a user to feel no sense of congruity.

Furthermore, it is a fourth object of the present invention to provide atape printing device by which a user can easily obtain a label that hashis desired margins.

Additionally, it is a fifth object of the present invention to provide atape printing device which can be very highly efficient in using tapeand can reduce the power consumption.

Besides, it is a sixth object of the present invention to provide a tapeprinting device which can form a large label, whose width is wider thanthe width of tape, easily and accurately by enlargement printing.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The first and second objects of the present invention are attained by atape printing device provided with: storage means for storing characterdata inputted from input means; printing means for printing characterdata, which are sequentially read from the storage means, by means of aprint head; tape feeding means for feeding tape to the print head andfor moving printed tape toward an exterior of the print head; cuttingmeans having a cutter for cutting tape discharged from the printingmeans; and control means for controlling a tape feeding operation and aprinting operation, wherein the control means comprises:printing-operation stopping control portion for causing the printingmeans to stop a printing operation when a command for stopping aprinting operation or a command for turning off a power supply is givenfrom the input means during an inputted character or symbol is printed;and a non-printing feeding control portion for controlling and causingthe tape feeding means to feed tape from a position thereof at the timeof stopping a printing operation at least by a length of a tapeconveying path from a position of a most recently printed character tothe cutter.

The third object of the present invention is achieved by a tape printingdevice for printing one or more lines of input character strings onstrip-like tape, which is provided with: (1/M)-scale reducednumeric-character input taking means (incidentally, M is an integerwhich is 2 or more) for taking in a (1/M)-scale reducednumeric-character input (to which a character width being equal to (1/M)of the width of other characters (having a full-size characterattribute) of a character string to be printed is assigned); andprinting means for printing contiguous M of (1/M)-scale reduced numericcharacters by using a character size of a full-size character in casethat a character string to be printed contains consecutive N occurrencesof (1/M)-scale reduced numeric characters (incidentally, N is an integerwhich is 1 or more) and for printing (1/M)-scale reduced numericcharacters, the number of which is not more than (M-1), by using thecharacter size of a full-size character in case that the (1/M)-scalereduced numeric characters, the number of which is not more than (M-1),are left at the beginning or last part of a character string to beprinted.

The fourth object of the present invention is attained by a tapeprinting device provided with set-margin-length taking means for takingin a kind of a designated value representing the length of each ofmargins provided in front of and behind a character string formed on alabel; tape-width detecting means for detecting the width of loadedtape; and margin forming means for determining the length of each of themargins according to tape width information detected by the tape widthdetecting means in case that the kind of the designated valuerepresenting the length of each of the margins, which is taken in by theset-margin-length taking means, is an automatic determination kind forautomatically determining the length of each of the margins according tothe width of the loaded tape and for controlling and causing tapefeeding means and a print head to form the margins, each of which hasthe determined length, on a label.

Further, the fourth object of the present invention is achievedsimilarly by a tape printing device provided with: square-arraydot-pattern printing command taking means for taking in a command orinstruction to print a square-array or matrix-like dot patternconsisting of intersections of cross-ruled lines of squared paper; andprint control means for printing a character string and a square-arraydot pattern over a region, which is wider than a character-stringregion, if the square-array dot-pattern printing command taking meanstakes in a command to print a square-array dot pattern when instructingto print a character string.

The first and fifth objects of the present invention are achieved by atape printing device provided with: driving-pulse duration informationholding means for holding information concerning a pulse duration of adriving signal to be applied to a print head when accelerating anddecelerating a motor composing tape feeding means; and print controlmeans for taking information, which concerns a pulse duration of adriving signal, out of the driving-pulse duration information holdingmeans when a printing mode, in which a character string is printed, isdesignated at the time of accelerating and decelerating the motor, andfor applying a driving pulse signal having the pulse duration to theprint head.

The first and sixth objects of the present invention are attained by atape printing device provided with: printing attribute designating meansfor designating an printing attribute corresponding to an inputcharacter string when performing a normal printing; enlargement printingcommand taking means for taking command information concerning anenlargement printing mode, in which a pseudo label, whose size is Ntimes that of a label obtained by performing a normal printing, isobtained, when arranging tape-sections in the direction of the width ofthe tape in such a manner as to adjoin after dividing a tape, theprinting of which is completed, into N tape-sections (incidentally, N isan integer which is not less than 2) in the longitudinal direction ofthe tape; printing-attribute determining means for determining aprinting-attribute of each of N tape-sections, which are obtained bydividing the tape by N in the longitudinal direction of the tape,according to character and symbol data stored in storage means, a tapewidth detected by tape-width detecting means and the printing attributedesignated by the printing attribute designating means; and printingmeans for serially printing N character-string-portions, into which acharacter string is divided in the direction of the width of the tape,on the tape according to the printing attributes determined by theprinting-attribute determining means respectively corresponding to thetape-portions and for printing markers which indicate dividing positionsin the longitudinal directions of the tape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1(A), 1(B) and 1(C) are perspective views of a printing portionand a cutting portion, which are illustrated for illustrating theproblems caused in the conventional tape printing device;

FIGS. 2(A), 2(B) and 2(C) are diagrams for illustrating a result of theenlargement printing, which are also illustrated for illustrating theproblems caused in the conventional tape printing device;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for illustrating an interruption operation of afirst embodiment of the present invention to be performed so as to stopprinting;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for illustrating the configuration of anentire tape printing device embodying the present invention, namely, thefirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram for illustrating a printing mechanism ofthe first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B) are flowcharts which respectively illustrate ahalf-size numeric-character input taking operation and a printingoperation to be performed in a second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram for illustrating the configuration of anentire tape printing device embodying the present invention, namely, thesecond embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) are diagrams for illustrating a half-size characterdisplaying method to be performed in the second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 9(A), 9(B), 9(C) and 9(D) are diagrams for illustrating the flowof a development processing of half-size numeric-characters to beperformed in the second embodiment of the present invention whenprinting;

FIGS. 10(A) and 10(B) are diagrams for illustrating examples of printedhalf-size numeric-characters in the case of the second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 11(A) and 11(B) are diagrams for illustrating a method ofdisplaying (1/M)-scale reduced half-size numeric-characters in the caseof a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for illustrating a font development processing tobe performed when printing in the third embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 13(A) to 13(F) are diagrams for illustrating the flow of adevelopment processing of (1/M)-scale reduced half-sizenumeric-characters to be performed in the third embodiment of thepresent invention when printing;

FIGS. 14(A) to 14(D) are diagrams which illustrate tables for showingkinds of margins employed in a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention and procedures of setting margins therein;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart for illustrating a process of setting a retentionformat in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 16(A) and 16(B) are diagrams for illustrating examples of thekinds "continuous" and "cutout" of margins;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart for illustrating a printing operation of thefourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an outputportion for printing square-array dots in the case of the fourthembodiment;

FIG. 19 is a diagram for illustrating the relation between a marginlength and a tape width in an "automatic" mode in the case of a fifthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a flowchart for illustrating a primary part of a printingoperation of the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating the pulse durations of drive pulsesfor a print head when accelerating a tape/ribbon feeding motor of thefifth embodiment of the present invention and when decelerating themotor thereof;

FIGS. 22(A) to 22(C) are diagrams for illustrating how a short front orleading margin is formed by the fifth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 23 is a flowchart for illustrating an enlargement printingoperation of a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a diagram for illustrating a process of determining printingattributes at the time of performing an enlargement printing operationin the sixth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 25(A) and 25(B) are diagrams showing tape surfaces, whichillustrate the enlargement printing operation of the sixth embodiment ofthe present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a tape printing device embodying the present invention,namely, a first embodiment (a best mode for carrying out the presentinvention) will be described in detail by appropriately referring to theaccompanying drawings. FIG. 4 is a block diagram for showing theconfiguration of the entire tape printing device according to thisembodiment of the present invention.

In the case of this tape printing device 5, various kinds of informationnecessary for printing is inputted to a control portion 20 through aninput portion 10. Moreover, an output portion 30 is controlled by thiscontrol portion 20. Thus, input character strings or the like inputtedfrom the input portion 10 are monitored. Furthermore, the inputcharacter strings are printed.

The input portion 10 is comprised of: a keying or key-operating portion11 for detecting an operation performed by a user; and a tape-widthdetecting sensor 12 for detecting the width of tape. This key-operatingportion 11 is provided with a plurality of operating elements forinputting characters, a print operating element, an operating elementfor feeding tape and so on. Further, the key-operating portion 11outputs character codes, which represent characters, control codes,which represent typefaces or the like corresponding to characters, and acontrol code, which is used for printing, in response to operations ofthese operating elements. Thereby, in the tape printing device 5, thetypefaces of characters and the spaces therebetween and so forth are setby operating this key-operating portion 11. Further, the tape printingdevice 5 is adapted so that character strings to be printed can bepreliminarily inputted thereto and that subsequently, printingoperations and so on can be started.

In the case of this embodiment, an operating element (to be describedlater) for stopping a printing operation is provided in thekey-operating portion 11.

The tape-width detecting sensor 12 is operative to detect physicaldiscriminating or identification elements such as holes formed in a tapecartridge indicated by a character K in FIG. 5 and to output a result ofsuch a detection to the control portion 20. Here, the tape cartridgeholds tape by enclosing or accommodating the tape in a housing thereof.Further, in the case of this tape printing device 5, this tape cartridgeis set at a predetermined storage position to thereby load the tapetherein. Moreover, discriminating elements such as this hole is formedin the tape cartridge correspondingly to the width of the tape enclosedtherein. The tape printing device 5 is further adapted so that the widthof the loaded tape can be detected according to a result of such adetection and subsequently, the size and so forth of each character tobe printed can be set correspondingly to the detected width of the tape.

The output portion 30 consists of a printing portion 30a and a displayportion 30b for displaying character strings or the like inputtedthrough the key-operating portion 11.

The printing portion 30a is composed of a tape feeding mechanism 31 and33 for feeding the tape T enclosed in the tape cartridge K at apredetermined speed, and a printing mechanism 32 and 34 for printinginput character strings.

Here, in the case of this embodiment, as is schematically illustrated inFIG. 5, the tape printing device is constructed so that the tape T isfed from the tape cartridge K at a prescribed speed, as indicated by anarrow B, by driving a tape/ribbon feeding motor 31 constituted by astepping motor. Further, a thermal head 23 and a tape cutting mechanism37 are placed serially on a path through which this tape T runs. Thetape feeding mechanism consists of the tape/ribbon feeding motor 31,which is used for feeding forward this tape, and a motor drive circuit33 for driving this tape/ribbon feeding motor 31. Incidentally, in FIG.5, an ink-ribbon running structure, which is away from the features ofthis embodiment, is omitted.

The thermal head 32 is configured by placing a plurality of heatingelements, the adjacent ones of which are close to each other, in adirection perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tape T.Further, the thermal transfer of ink of the ink ribbon, which is storedin this tape cartridge K aside from the tape, onto the tape is achievedby making each of the heating elements emit heat. Thereby, characters orthe like are printed on the tape T. The printing mechanism is composedof this thermal head 32 and a head drive circuit 34 for driving thethermal head 32 in accordance with a control command sent from thecontrol portion 20. Incidentally, in the case of this embodiment, thethermal head 32 is held by being inserted into a window formed in thetape cartridge K, so that the thermal head 32 pushes the tape T from theink-ribbon side (not shown) thereof.

Thereby, the tape printing device 5 is adapted so that the tape T issupplied to the thermal head 32 at a predetermined speed by the tapefeeding mechanism and moreover, the character strings or the like can beprinted on the tape in sequence by driving the printing mechanism andthat the tape P can be fed without being printed by driving only thetape feeding mechanism alone.

The tape cutting mechanism 37 is comprised of two kinds of cutters 38and 39 and an operating element for cutting tape or the like, which isdisposed on a console panel terminal portion. When pushing thisoperating element for cutting, the cutter 39 is turned in such a way asto intersect the cutter 38 fixed to a casing, as indicated by an arrowC. Thus, the tape T is cut by the cutters 38 and 39. Consequently, inthe tape printing device 5, the tape T, the printing of which iscompleted, is cut off from the tape conveyed from the tape cartridge Kby pushing this operating element for cutting. Further, a label isformed from the removed tape T. Incidentally, the tape cutting mechanism37 may be adapted to automatically cut tape or the like under thecontrol of the control portion 20.

The display portion 30b consists of a liquid crystal display 35, whichis placed on the console panel, and a display drive circuit 36 fordriving this liquid crystal display 35 according to a control commandsent from the control portion 20. Thereby, the tape printing device 5 isadapted to be able to check the inputted character strings, the typefaceor typestyle used to print the characters and the spaces therebetweenthrough this liquid crystal display 35.

The control portion 20 is constituted by a micro-computer and iscomposed of a central processing unit (CPU) 21, a read-only memory (ROM)22, a random access memory (RAM) 23, a character-generator ROM (CG-ROM)24, an input interface (IF) 25 and an output interface (IF) 26 which areconnected with each other through a system bus 27.

The input interface 25 is operative to output a control code or thelike, which is inputted from the input portion 10, to the system bus 27at a prescribed moment.

The CPU 21 performs a procedure, which is stored in the ROM 22, inresponse to the control code or the like, which is inputted through thissystem bus 27, to thereby control an operation of the entire tapeprinting device 5.

Thus, processing programs to be executed by this CPU 21 are stored inthe ROM 22. Moreover, kana-kanji translation dictionary data or the likeis also stored in the ROM 22. Incidentally, a processing program forstopping a printing operation is also stored in the ROM 22 (see FIG. 3).

The RAM 23, in which a work area to be used by the CPU 21 isestablished, stores character strings or the like, which are inputtedthrough the key-operating portion 11, and character strings, which areobtained by thereafter performing the kana-kanji translation, togetherwith control codes in the form of character codes. Here, control codesstored in the RAM 23 represent the typeface or typestyle for printingand displaying characters and so on, the spaces between the characters,the sizes of the characters and so forth and are codes inherent in thistape printing device 5.

Hereunder, the kana-kanji translation will be described. In the case ofJapanese character translation, some tape printing devices employ atwo-stage translation system in which a combination of letters of theEnglish alphabet is once translated into a combination of letters of"kana", namely, the Japanese alphabet, and next this "kana" is furthertranslated into "kanji". This translation system is designated as"kana-kanji translation". Further, letters of "kana" are inputtedcorrespondingly to the pronunciation of letters of "kanji". In the casethat input keys respectively correspond to letters of the Englishalphabet (namely, Roman letters), input codes corresponding to the Romanletters are translated into "kana" character codes which are furthertranslated into "kanji" character codes through the kana-kanjitranslation.

In the RAM 23, a certain area is assigned to a print memory 23a. In thecase of the tape printing device 5, this print memory 23a is used as abuffer memory for printing.

The character-generator ROM 24 stores font information, which concernscharacters and symbols to be printed and displayed in this tape printingdevice 5, therein. In the case of this embodiment, informationconcerning bit-map fonts and outline fonts is stored therein as thisfont information.

The output interface 26 is controlled by the CPU 21 and outputs the fontinformation, which is stored in the character-generator ROM 24, andcontrol codes, which are issued from the CPU 21, to the output portion30.

Thereby, the CPU 21 accesses the character-generator ROM 24 according tocharacter codes and control codes, which are stored in the RAM 23, andcauses the liquid crystal display 35 to display the character stringsthat are inputted by a user.

Further, when detecting through the input interface 25 that the printoperating element is operated by being pushed, the CPU 21 similarlyaccesses the character-generator ROM 24 after a control command forstarting a printing operation is issued to the head drive circuit 34 andthe motor drive circuit 33. Moreover, the CPU 21 then outputs data,which has been outputted from the character-generator ROM 24, to thehead drive circuit 34 in a prescribed order. At that time, the CPU 21changes addresses used for writing information to and readinginformation from the print memory 23 by causing the memory 23a to outputthe font information, after the font information outputted from thecharacter-generator ROM 24 is once stored in this print memory 23a.Thus, the size, the orientation and so forth of characters to be printedare changed.

Thereby, the CPU 21 has the character string, which has been displayedon the liquid crystal display 35, printed on the tape T sequentially inthe format as a user desires. Further, upon completion of printing thecharacter string, the CPU 21 drives the motor drive circuit 33.Thereafter, the CPU 21 controls and causes the motor drive circuit 33 tostop the motor. Consequently, the tape T is fed without being printed.Thus, the printing operation is finished.

Therefore, in the case of this tape printing device 5, when a userperforms a simple operation of only pushing the print operating elementafter inputting a desired character string by operating thekey-operating portion 11 while monitoring the liquid crystal display 5,tape printed with the input character string is outputted to the tapecutting mechanism 37. Upon completion of feeding out the tape, the tapecutting mechanism is caused to act, when the user performs pushing theoperating element for cutting. Thus, the tape is cut, so that a label isformed.

If the operating element for stopping the printing operation or thepower-supply operating element is operated halfway through the printingof the character string, the input interface 25 causes an interruptionto the CPU 21. At that time, the CPU 21 performs the procedure of FIG. 3in response to this interruption.

Incidentally, a dedicated operating element may be provided as theoperating element for stopping the printing operation. However, in thecase of this embodiment, a general purpose operating element is used bytaking the efficient arrangement of the console panel intoconsideration. For example, a print operating element, a deletionoperating element or an cancellation operating element are used. Here,the print operating element is an operating element which relates to aprinting operation. It is, therefore, preferable that the printoperating element is used for stopping a printing operation, because auser can easily recognize the functions of this operating element.Further, the deletion operating element has the function of deleting afile or the like. Moreover, a cancellation operating element (which isalso used as the deletion operating element in some tape printingdevice) is an operating element has the function of canceling or erasinginput characters. Both of these operating elements have the function ofcanceling the operation performed in the past. Thus, such a function andthe function of stopping a printing operation, by which the printingoperation performed in the past is canceled, have a common point.Therefore, the deletion operating element and the cancellation operatingelement can easily be remembered as the operating element for stopping aprinting operation. Consequently, the deletion operating element and thecancellation operating element are suited to the operating element forstopping a printing operation.

When starting an interruption for stopping a printing operation, the CPU21 first sends out a control command to the head drive circuit 34 instep 101. Thus, the printing of a character string is stopped.Consequently, when a user notices an occurrence of an error and pushingthe operating element for stopping the printing operation or thepower-supply operating element, the printing operation is immediatelystopped, so that the wasteful consumption of tape is effectivelyavoided. Incidentally, there has already been proposed a tape printingdevice adapted to manage the number of times of printing a characterstring. In the case of such a tape printing device, when the printingoperation is forcefully terminated halfway in step 101, datarepresenting the number of times of printing the character string isheld therein.

Subsequently, the CPU 21 advances to step 102, whereupon the CPU 21causes the liquid crystal display 35 to display a message "stop aprinting operation !" by blinking the message. Thereby, in the liquidcrystal display 35, even a user, who is unaccustomed to the operation,can ascertain through this liquid crystal display 35 that an intendedoperation is performed.

Thereafter, the CPU 21 advances to step 103 whereupon the CPU 21 sendsout a control command, by which an operation is stopped, to the motordrive circuit 33 when a prescribed time of a timer, which has startedclocking, elapses. Consequently, the tape T is fed forward by aprescribed amount without being printed. Here, note that when normallyprinting, the non-printing feeding is performed so as to secure anunprinted space area, which has a length selected by a user, posteriorto a printed character string, whereas the non-printing feeding to beperformed after stopping a printing operation in this embodiment iscarried out by a distance L between the position of the printing portionof the thermal head 32 (namely, the position at which the heatingelements are placed) and the cutting position at which tape is cut bythe cutters 38 and 39 (see FIG. 5).

The tape printing device of this embodiment is configured so that whenthe operating element for cutting is pushed by a user after finishingthe non-printing feeding, the tape T can be cut at the rear end of theprinted part of the character string, the printing of which is stopped.Therefore, even when a user does not perform the feeding of the tape,the tape can be cut in such a manner that a waste of the tape isminimized. Namely, even when a user, who is unaccustomed to theoperating of the tape printing device 5 of such a type, operates thedevice, the wasteful consumption of the tape T can be reduced withoutperforming the complex operation after stopping the printing operation.

When the non-printing feeding of the tape T is performed in this way,the CPU 21 subsequently advances to step 104 whereupon the blinkingdisplay of the message "stop a printing operation !" is turned off.Then, the CPU 21 advances to the next step 105 whereupon it is judgedwhether or not the operated operating element is the power-supplyoperating element.

Here, in the case that an interruption is generated by a user'soperation of the power-supply operating element, the CPU 21 advances tostep 106 whereupon the power supply is turned off. Thus, this procedureis finished. In contrast, in the case that an interruption is caused byoperating the operating element for stopping a printing operation, theprocedure of the interruption is immediately finished and the devicewaits for the subsequent operation of the operating element because auser wishes to continue to operate this tape printing device 5.

In the device having the aforementioned configuration, a characterstring preliminarily inputted through the key-operating portion 11 isstored in the form of a character code in the RAM 2 together with acontrol code. If the print operating element is operated during thedevice is in this state, the tape T is supplied to the thermal head 32at the predetermined speed by means of the tape/ribbon feeding motor 31.Further, the font information is outputted from the character-generatorROM 24 to the head drive circuit 34 through the print memory 23aaccording to the character code and the control code stored in the RAM23. Thus, the preliminarily input character string is printed on thetape. If the operating element for stopping the printing operation orthe power-supply operating elements operated halfway through theprinting operation, the printing by using the thermal head 32 iscontrolled in such a manner as to be stopped. Thereafter, the messagefor stopping a printing operation is displayed by being blinked.Further, the tape T is fed by the distance L between the thermal head 32and the cutting position at which the cutting operation is performed bythe cutters 38 and 39. Moreover, in the case that the power-supplyoperating element is operated, the power supply is subsequently turnedoff. The operation is finished. In contrast, in the case that theoperating element for stopping the printing operation is performed, thesubsequent operation of the operating element is waited for after thenon-printing feeding of the tape is performed.

In accordance with the embodiment described hereinabove, in the casethat the operating element for stopping a printing operation or thepower-supply operating element is operated, the printing operation isimmediately stopped. Thereafter, the tape is fed by the distance betweenthe thermal head and the cutting position at which the tape is cut bythe cutters, without being printed. Thereby, the tape can be held byperforming the non-printing feeding of the tape so that the waste of thetape is minimized. Consequently, the waste of the tape can be reduced bysimplifying the complex operation.

Further, in accordance with the aforementioned embodiment, the device isadapted so that the message for stopping the printing operation isdisplayed. Thereby, a user can know that the tape printing deviceaccepts a command for stopping the printing operation. Consequently, theoperability of the tape printing device can be enhanced.

Moreover, in accordance with the aforementioned embodiment, a generalpurpose operating element, whose assigned function of stopping aprinting operation is easily remembered by a user, is employed as theoperating element for stopping a printing operation. Thereby, theefficiency in placing the operating element can be increased. Moreover,the operability of the tape printing device can be enhanced.

Incidentally, regarding the aforementioned embodiment, the case, inwhich the tape T is fed without being printed by the distance L betweenthe thermal head 32 and the cutting position where the tape T is cut bythe cutters, has been described. The present invention, however, is notlimited to such a case. In all cases other than the case of stopping orceasing a printing operation, the wasteful consumption of the tape inthe subsequent printing operation can be effectively avoided by feedingthe tape T at least by the distance L between the thermal head 32 andthe cutting position where the tape T is cut by the cutters 38 and 39after the last character is printed. Thereby, the wasteful consumptionof the tape can be reduced.

Further, regarding the aforementioned embodiment, the case, in which aprinting operation is stopped by operating the general purpose operatingelement or the power-supply operating element halfway through theprinting operation, has been described. The present invention, however,is not limited to such a case. A dedicated operating element may beplaced as the operating element for stopping a printing operation.

Moreover, as to the aforementioned embodiment, the case, in which thetape is cut by manually pushing the operating element for cutting, hasbeen described. The present invention, however, is not limited to such acase. The present invention can be widely applied to cases that the tapeis cut by using a motor or the like. In such a case, the operability ofthe tape printing device can be enhanced by cutting the tape after aprinting operation is stopped after the tape printing operation isstopped and then the tape is fed without being printed.

Furthermore, as to the aforementioned embodiment, there has beendescribed the tape printing device that is adapted to feed the tape T bythe distance L between the thermal head 32 and the cutting position, atwhich the tape T is cut by the cutters 38 and 39, without being printedwhen stopping the printing operation. However, the distance, by whichthe tape is fed without being printed in the case of instructing to stopthe printing operation during a rear feeding operation for making a rearor right margin, may be smaller than that in the case of theaforementioned embodiment. In short, it has only to feed the tape,without being printed, even after the issuance of the command, by whicha printing operation is stopped, so that the position of the lastprinted character reaches the cutting position at which the tape is cutby the cutters 38 and 39 and from which the cut part of the tape isdischarged.

Next, another tape printing device embodying the present invention,namely, a second embodiment of the present invention will be describedhereinbelow.

First, the electrical configuration of the entire tape printing device,namely, the second embodiment will be described by referring to afunctional block diagram of FIG. 7.

The differences between the configuration of FIG. 7 and that of thefirst embodiment of FIG. 4 are a part of processing programs and data,which are stored in the ROM 22. In the ROM 22 of this second embodiment,various kinds of processing programs and inalterable data such askana-kanji translation dictionary data are stored.

The processing programs and the inalterable data, which are peculiar tothe second embodiment, and the data stored in the RAM 23 will bedescribed later in detail. Incidentally, in the ROM 22, a processingprogram 22a for taking in input characters and a development program 22bto be executed when printing characters, which will be described later,are stored. Further, when executing these programs 22a and 22b, a workarea therefor is suitably established in the RAM 23. The remainingcomposing elements of this embodiment are the same as of FIG. 4. Thus,the descriptions of such composing elements are omitted.

This embodiment provides support for half-size numeric-characters(namely, (1/2)-scale reduced numeric-characters), the combination of twoof which has a size that is equal to the size of an ordinary character.Hereinafter, a half-size numeric-characters input taking operation andanother half-size numeric-character development operation will bedescribed in this order by referring to FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B).

FIG. 6(A) is a flowchart for illustrating a half-size numeric-characterinput taking operation. In the case of this embodiment, half-sizenumeric-characters are available as symbols. When operating a key fordesignating a symbol input (for example, a key dedicated to the symbolinput) is operated, the CPU 21 starts executing the processing program22a of FIG. 6(A) stored in the ROM 22.

Incidentally, in the case of this embodiment, half-size numericcharacters respectively representing numbers "0" to "9" are available ashalf-size numeric characters to be inputted.

Further, first, the CPU 21 causes the liquid crystal display 35 in step201 to display initial candidates for kinds of symbols. The kinds ofavailable symbols are, for instance, symbols suitable for VTR cassettes,unit symbols, descriptive symbols, living-thing symbols, vehicle symbolsand mathematical-expression symbols. In the case of this embodiment, asabove described, the half-size numeric characters are available assymbols of a kind. Among these kinds of symbols, the kinds of symbols,which have a highest frequency of use, or the kinds thereof, which areselected by a learning function just before displayed, are displayed asthe initial candidates. Incidentally, if the display device is adaptedto display a plurality of kinds of symbols at a time, a cursor ispositioned at a current candidate and is then blinked thereat.

Thereafter, the CPU 21 judges in step 202 whether a selection key or analteration key (for example, a cursor moving key) is operated. When thealteration key is operated, the current candidate for the kind ofsymbols is changed in step 203. The CPU 21 then returns to step 202.

When the selection key is operated in a condition in which a certainkind of symbols is the current candidate, the CPU 21 advances from step202 to step 204 whereupon the CPU 21 judges what the selected kind ofsymbols is. If a kind of symbols other than the half-sizenumeric-characters is selected, the CPU 21 goes to step 205 whereupon asymbol selection process of selecting a symbol among symbols of theselected kind is performed by executing a routine of a processingprogram.

In contrast, if the selected kind of symbols is the half-size numericcharacter, the CPU 21 advances to step 206 whereupon one of thehalf-size numeric characters is displayed on the screen of the liquidcrystal display 35 as an initial current candidate. In the case of thisembodiment, a half-size numeric character is displayed by using an areafor displaying one ordinary character. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 8(A), a combination symbol obtained by the combination of a dotpattern S1, which indicates that the displayed character is a half-sizenumeric character, and another hatched dot pattern S2, which indicatesthe displayed number itself, is displayed by using an area having a sizeof one ordinary character. Thus, the half-size numeric character isdisplayed in a manner different from the representation of a numericcharacter having a character width which is equal to the width of anordinary kanji-character as illustrated in FIG. 8(B). Naturally, fontsas shown in FIG. 8(A) are provided in the CG-ROM 24.

When causing the liquid crystal display to indicate the half-sizenumeric character which is the current candidate, the CPU 21 advances tostep 207 whereupon the CPU 21 judges whether the selection key or thealteration key (for example, the cursor moving key) is operated. Whenthe alteration key is operated, the current candidate for the half-sizenumeric character is changed in step 208. The CPU 21 then returns toaforementioned step 207.

When the selection key is operated in a condition in which a certainhalf-size numeric character is the current candidate, the CPU 21advances from step 207 to step 209 whereupon the CPU 21 judges that thehalf-size numeric character, which is the current candidate, isdefinitely selected. Further, the CPU 21 causes the RAM 23 to store acode representing this half-size numeric character at a location in aninput character-string buffer area, which is subsequent to the locationwhere the last one of character codes stored heretofore in this bufferarea. Moreover, a display buffer area is also operated, so that adisplay image is returned to a character input screen image at the stagewhere a symbol key is operated. Furthermore, a dot pattern, whichprescribes the selected half-size numeric character and is asillustrated in FIG. 8(A), is displayed at a character input positiondesignated by the cursor when the symbol key is pushed down. Then, theCPU 21 finishes the process consisting of a sequence of these steps. Ifa kind of symbols other than the half-size numeric-characters isselected, the CPU 21 goes to step 205 whereupon a symbol selectionprocess of selecting a symbol among symbols of the selected kind isperformed by executing a routine of a processing program.

Here, note that in the case of this embodiment, a code representing ahalf-size numeric character is not the combination of a code, whichindicates a half-size, and a code indicating a number and that a coderepresented by bits of the number, which is equal to that of otherordinary character code, indicating a half-size numeric character. Forinstance, in the case that numbers "1", "0", "2" and "3" contained inthe character string "10 23" are represented by half-size numericcharacters, respectively, the characters of this character string arerepresented by "EC61", "EC60", "8C8E", "EC62", "EC63" and "93FA" inhexadecimal representation, respectively. Thereby, the fonts fordisplaying half-size numeric characters can easily be fetched from theCG-ROM 24.

Incidentally, although the description is omitted, the symbol selectionoperation can be canceled halfway through the symbol selection operationby depressing the cancellation key.

As above described, in the case of this embodiment, it is necessary fora user to select a half-size numeric character from the symbols everytime when a half-size numeric character is inputted. Therefore, wheninputting an N-digit half-size numeric character, a user requiresperforming an operation of selecting this numeric character from thesymbols N times.

Meanwhile, the following methods have been devised as a method fordesignating a half-size numeric character. Namely, one of such methodscomprises the step of providing a key for designating a half-size modein the device, and the step of thereafter taking in numeric characters,which are inputted during this key is depressed two times, as half-sizenumeric characters (incidentally, this method is another embodiment).Further, another method is to take in numeric characters indicatedbetween a numeric character, at which the cursor is positioned when thekey for designating a half-size mode is first depressed in the case ofdepressing this key two times, and another numeric character at whichthe cursor is positioned when the key for designating the half-size modeis depressed for a second time, as half-size numeric characters(incidentally, this method is still another embodiment). However, in thecase of this first embodiment of the present invention, half-sizenumeric characters are selected from the symbols as above described, forthe following reasons.

The tape printing device has a diversity of character sizes. Thus, thetape printing device can deal with a demand for reduction in size ofletters of the alphabet or the like by selecting a character size.Therefore, in the case of this embodiment, the half-size (numeric)characters are applied only to numeric characters. This limitation onthe number of half-size characters obviates the necessity of provisionof a large number of symbols, even if a half-size numeric character isselected from symbols. Further, the configuration of the tape printingdevice, which includes the CD-ROM 24 and so on, becomes hardly complex.Moreover, in the case of employing the aforementioned latter selectionmethod, the tape printing device should be provided with a newprocessing routine which is not provided in the conventional tapeprinting device. However, from the viewpoint of effective utilization ofmemory capacity of the ROM 22, it is not efficient to provide the newinput processing routine in the device for handling a small number ofhalf-size characters. In contrast, in the case of employing the methodof selecting a half-size numeric character from symbols, there is nonecessity of providing a new processing program. Further, the tapeprinting device can cope with the demand or problem by altering only apart of the symbol selection processing program.

In the case of this embodiment, a single half-size numeric character isdisplayed on the screen of the liquid crystal display 35 in such amanner as to have the same size as of a single full-size character asillustrated in FIG. 8(A), for the following reason. Namely, thedisplaying of a half-size numeric character in such a way as to have thesize which is equal to that of a single full-size character, can beeasily achieved, because it has only to utilize the fonts stored in theROM 24. In contrast, if two half-size numeric characters are displayedin such a manner as to have the size, which is equal to that of a singlefull-size character (incidentally, such a method is yet anotherembodiment), the tape printing device is required to performcomputations therefor. Thus, the process to be performed in the devicebecomes complex. In addition, a displaying position, at which thecharacter is displayed, should be changed with progress in the inputoperation. It is inefficient to perform the operation of displaying twohalf-size numeric characters in such a way as to have the size, which isequal to that of a single full-size character, every change in thedisplaying position.

Next, the development of each character during the printing thereof(incidentally, such a development operation naturally includes adevelopment of a half-size numeric character) will be describedhereinafter by referring to FIG. 6(B).

Character development at the time of printing is carried out byiteratively performing the development of each of the characters of acharacter string. FIG. 6(B) is a flowchart for illustrating thedevelopment of each of the characters to be performed repeatedly.Incidentally, in the case of printing characters on tape in such amanner that the characters are written longitudinally or verticallythereon, namely, in such a way that the direction of height of each ofthe characters is in agreement with the longitudinal or verticaldirection of tape, the following two methods may be employed. Namely,one of these methods includes the step of turning or rotating the font(namely, the corresponding dot pattern) outputted from the CG-ROM 24when performing the development. The other method includes the step ofstoring the font (namely, the dot pattern), which is outputted from theCG-ROM 24, without being turned, and the step of thereafter reading thefont (namely, the dot pattern) by turning or rotating the font (namely,the dot pattern) when driving the thermal head 32. The development ofeach character during the printing thereof will be described hereinbelowon the premise that the latter method is employed for printingcharacters on tape in such a manner that the characters are writtenlongitudinally or vertically thereon. Namely, the development itself issimilarly performed in both cases that characters are longitudinally orvertically written on tape and that characters are transversely orhorizontally written thereon.

When the CPU 21 starts performing the process of FIG. 6(B), it is firstjudged in step 211 whether or not a character to be developed this timeis a half-size numeric character. If not, the CPU 21 performs a process,which is similar to the conventional development process, in step 212,and then the development of the character to be developed is finished.

In contrast, if the character to be developed this time is a half-sizenumeric character, the CPU 21 judges in step 213 whether or not the nextcharacter to be developed is a half-size numeric character.

If so, the CPU 21 advances to step 214 whereupon the font (namely, thedot pattern) corresponding to a full-size numeric character, whichrepresents the same number as represented by the first one of theconsecutive two half-size numeric characters, is read from the CG-ROM 24and is developed in a font development area (hereunder referred to as anarea 1) indicated by a printing pointer. The character size of each ofthe numeric characters is determined according to the attributes of thecharacter string to be printed. Further, the correspondence tablerepresenting the correspondence relation between each half-size numericcharacter and a corresponding full-size numeric character ispreliminarily stored in, for instance, the ROM 22. This table isutilized in the process to be performed in step 214. FIG. 9(A)illustrates the development operation to be performed in step 214.Subsequently, the CPU 21 shrinks or compresses the developed font tohalf (namely, 1/2) thereof only in the lateral direction in step 215.Further, the shrunken font is stored in the left-side half of the area 1as viewed in this figure. FIG. 9(B) illustrates the shrinking/storageoperation performed in step 215.

A method of performing the logical OR, namely, the logical sum between 2dots adjoining in the lateral direction according to an equation givenbelow is employed as a method of compressing the developed font to half(namely, 1/2) thereof only in the lateral direction.

    D.sub.new (X.sub.n, Y.sub.m)=D.sub.old (X.sub.2n-1, Y.sub.m)+D.sub.old (X.sub.2n, Y.sub.m)

Next, the CPU 21 advances to step 216 whereupon the font (namely, thedot pattern) corresponding to a full-size numeric character, whichrepresents the same number as represented by the second one of theconsecutive two half-size numeric characters, is read from the CG-ROM 24and is developed in an unused font development area (hereunder referredto as an area 2, and for example, an area subsequent to the areaindicated by the printing pointer). FIG. 9(C) illustrates thedevelopment operation to be performed in step 216. Subsequently, the CPU21 shrinks or compresses the developed font to half (namely, 1/2)thereof only in the lateral direction in step 217. Further, the shrunkenfont is stored in the right-side half of the area 1 as viewed in thisfigure. FIG. 9(D) illustrates the shrinking/storage operation performedin step 217.

On the other hand, if the character to be developed this time is ahalf-size numeric character but the character to be developed next timeis other than a half-size numeric character, the CPU 21 advances to step219 whereupon the font corresponding to a full-size numeric character,which represents the same number as represented by the first one of theconsecutive two half-size numeric characters, is read from the CG-ROM 24and is developed in the font development area 1 indicated by theprinting pointer. Thereafter, the CPU 21 shrinks or compresses thedeveloped font to half thereof only in the lateral direction in step220. Further, the shrunken font is stored in the left-side half of thearea 1 as viewed in this figure. Further, the blanking of the right-halfof the area 1 is performed in step 221.

Upon completion of dot development in the area 1 designated by theprinting pointer, which is performed as above described, the CPU 21finishes a sequence of the development operations performed on thecharacter to be developed this time by incrementing the printing pointerby 1 in step 218.

In the case of printing information concerning the font developed byperforming such a development operation, if, for example, two half-sizecharacters are contained in the character string to be printed, a label,on which two half-size numeric characters are printed in such a manneras to have the size being equal to that of an ordinary character, isobtained as illustrated in FIGS. 10(A) and 10(B). Incidentally, FIG.10(A) illustrate the case in which the characters are written laterallyor horizontally on the tape; and FIG. 10(B) the case in which thecharacters are written longitudinally or vertically thereon.

As above described, in the case of this embodiment, only the fonts forprinting full-size numeric characters are preliminarily stored in theCG-ROM 24. Further, the tape printing device deals with half-sizenumeric characters by performing the shrinking or compressing operation.Even in the case of the conventional tape printing device, for thepurpose of increasing the variety of character sizes, compressedcharacter sizes for treating a font corresponding to a ceratin charactersize as a full-size character are available. Further, such a compressingoperation can be applied to the generation of fonts corresponding tohalf-size numeric characters in this embodiment.

In the foregoing description, the development operation, which isdifferent from the development performed in the conventional tapeprinting device, has been described. Other kinds of processing oroperations to be performed when printing, which becomes different fromthat performed in the conventional device as a result of employinghalf-size numeric characters, are operations of determining a tapelength, a character size and so forth, which depend on the number ofcharacters (incidentally, the flowcharts for illustrating theseoperations are omitted). In the case of consecutive N half-size numericcharacters, the number of characters is determined as follows. Namely,in the case that N is even, the number of characters is (N/2). However,in the case that N is odd, the number of characters is an integerobtained by raising (N/2).

The aforementioned second embodiment is adapted so that input half-sizenumeric characters can be accepted and printed. Thereby, there isrealized a tape printing device which can increase the variety of themanners of printing numeric characters, and which can provide a labelprinted with plural-digit numeric characters which cause users to feelno sense of congruity.

In the foregoing description, modifications of the second embodimenthave been described. However, other modifications of the secondembodiment can be described hereinbelow.

In the case of the aforementioned second embodiment, the numbers "0" to"9" are available as half-size numeric characters and symbols which canbe selected as input characters. Further, the tape printing device maybe adapted so that symbols corresponding to two-digit half-size numericcharacters such as "00" to "99" can be used.

In the case of the aforementioned second embodiment, only full-sizefonts are available as numeric-character fonts for printing. However,the tape printing device may be adapted so that fonts corresponding tohalf-size numeric characters are available. In this case, this tapeprinting device may be further adapted so that symbols corresponding totwo-digit half-size numeric characters such as "00" to "99" can be used.Consequently, the capacity of the CG-ROM 24 may be increased, whereas itcan be expected that the development operation is achieved at a highspeed.

Moreover, in the case of the second embodiment, when an odd number ofconsecutive half-size numeric characters are contained in an inputcharacter string, the last one of the half-size numeric characters isprinted in such a manner as to have a character size of a half-sizecharacter. However, the last one of the half-size numeric characters maybe printed in such a way as to have a character size of a full-sizecharacter. Further, when an odd number of consecutive half-size numericcharacters are contained in an input character string, the first one ofthese consecutive half-size numeric characters may be printedindependent of the remaining ones thereof. Moreover, each pair ofadjacent half-size numeric characters may be printed in such a manner asto have the character size of a full-size character.

Next, yet another tape printing device embodying the present invention,namely, a third embodiment of the present invention will be describedhereinbelow. Although the second embodiment can deal with (1/2)-scalereduced numeric characters (namely, half-size numeric characters) as theprintable reduced numeric characters, this third embodiment can copewith a plurality of kinds of reduced numeric characters. Namely, in thecase of the third embodiment of the present invention, not onlyhalf-size numeric characters, whose reduction ratio is (1/2), but alsohalf-size numeric characters, whose reduction ratio are (1/3) . . .(1/J), are available as (1/M)-scale reduced numeric characters, M ofwhich can be concurrently printed in such a way as to have a size beingequal to that of an ordinary full-size character.

The configuration of the entire third embodiment is nearly the same asthat of the entire second embodiment and thus is not shown in thedrawing.

Further, the reduced-numeric-character input taking operation of thethird embodiment is almost the same as that of the second embodiment(see FIG. 6(A)) but is different from that of the second embodiment inthe following respects.

In the case of this third embodiment, the reduced numeric characters areprovided as symbols. When operating the key for indicating symbol input(for example, a key dedicated to the symbol input), the CPU 21 startsexecuting a processing program for taking in symbols, which is stored inthe ROM 22 (see FIG. 6(A)). Incidentally, in the case of thisembodiment, reduced numeric characters, whose reduction ratio is each of(1/2), (1/3), . . . , (1/J), corresponding to the numbers "0" to "9",respectively, are provided therein.

Further, the CPU 21 first causes the liquid crystal display 35 toindicate an initial candidate for the kinds of symbols. When operatingthe alteration key, a current candidate for the kinds of symbols ischanged. Moreover, when the selection key is operated in a condition inwhich a certain kind of symbols is the current candidate, the CPU 21discriminates the selected kind of symbols (see steps 201 to 204). If akind of symbols other than the (1/M)-scale reduced numeric-characters(incidentally, M is 2, . . . , or J), the CPU 21 performs a symbolselection operation of selecting one of symbols of the selected kind(see step 205). In contrast, if the selected kind of symbols is the(1/M)-scale reduced numeric character, the CPU 21 causes the liquidcrystal display 35 to display one of the (1/M)-scale reduced numericcharacters as an initial current candidate (see step 206). In the caseof this embodiment, a (1/M)-scale reduced numeric character is displayedby using an area for displaying a character. For instance, as shown inFIGS. 11(A) and 11(B), a combination symbol obtained by combining a dotpattern S1, which indicates that the selected symbol is a (1/M)-scalereduced numeric character, with a hatched dot pattern 52, whichrepresents a number itself, is displayed in a manner, which is differentfrom the representation of a numeric character having a width which isequal to the width of an ordinary kanji character, in such a way as tohave a size of one character. Naturally, in the CG-ROM 24, there areprovided fonts as illustrated in FIGS. 11(A) and 11(B).

When causing the liquid crystal display to indicate the (1/M)-scalereduced numeric character which is the current candidate, the CPU 21judges whether the selection key or the alteration key is operated. Whenthe alteration key is operated, the current candidate for the(1/M)-scale reduced half-size numeric character is changed. When theselection key is operated in a condition in which a certain (1/M)-scalereduced half-size numeric character is the current candidate, the CPU 21judges that the half-size numeric character, which is the currentcandidate, is definitely selected. Further, the CPU 21 causes the RAM 23to store a code representing this (1/M)-scale reduced half-size numericcharacter at a location in an input character-string buffer area, whichis subsequent to the location where the last one of character codesstored heretofore in this buffer area. Moreover, a display buffer areais also operated, so that a display image is returned to a characterinput screen image at the stage where the symbol key is operated.Furthermore, a dot pattern as illustrated in FIGS. 11(A) and 11(B),which prescribes the selected (1/M)-scale reduced numeric character, isdisplayed at a character input position designated by the cursor whenthe symbol key is pushed down. Then, the CPU 21 finishes the processconsisting of a sequence of these steps (see steps 207 to 209).

In the case of this embodiment, a code representing a (1/M)-scalereduced numeric character is not the combination of a code, whichindicates a (1/M)-scale, and a code indicating a number and that a coderepresented by bits of the number, which is equal to that of otherordinary character code, indicating a (1/M)-scale numeric character.Thereby, the fonts for displaying (1/M)-scale reduced numeric characterscan easily be fetched from the CG-ROM 24.

Next, the development of each character during the printing thereof(incidentally, such a development operation naturally includes adevelopment of a (1/J)scale reduced numeric character) will be describedhereinafter by referring to FIG. 12.

Character development at the time of printing is carried out byiteratively performing the development of each of the characters of acharacter string. FIG. 12 is a flowchart for illustrating thedevelopment of each of the characters to be performed repeatedly.Incidentally, in the case of printing characters on tape in such amanner that the characters are written longitudinally or verticallythereon, namely, in such a way that the direction of height of each ofthe characters is in agreement with the longitudinal or verticaldirection of tape, the following two methods may be employed. Namely,one of these methods includes the step of turning or rotating the font(namely, the corresponding dot pattern) outputted from the CG-ROM 24when performing the development. The other method includes the step ofstoring the font (namely, the dot pattern), which is outputted from theCG-ROM 24, without being rotated, and the step of thereafter reading thefont by turning or rotating the font when driving the thermal head 32.The development of each character during the printing thereof will bedescribed hereinbelow on the premise that the latter method is employedfor printing characters on tape in such a manner that the characters arewritten longitudinally or vertically thereon. Namely, the developmentitself is similarly performed in both cases that characters arelongitudinally or vertically written on tape and that characters aretransversely or horizontally written thereon.

When the CPU 21 starts performing the process of FIG. 12, it is firstjudged in step 301 whether or not a character to be developed this timeis a reduced numeric character. If not, the CPU 21 performs a process,which is similar to the conventional development process, in step 302,and then the development of the character to be developed is finished.

In contrast, if the character to be developed this time is a reducednumeric character, the CPU 21 recognizes the reduction ratio (1/M) instep 304. Thereafter, in step 304, the CPU 21 recognizes how manyreduced numeric characters including the reduced numeric character to bedeveloped this time are consecutive (L in this case). Incidentally, theupper limit set on the recognized number L of consecutive characters isthe reciprocal number M of the reduction ratio (1/M) recognized in step301. Namely, L≦M.

Next, the CPU 21 sets a parameter K for prescribing which of theconsecutive L characters a reduced numeric character in question is, ata value of 1 in step 305. Then, the CPU 21 advances to step 306whereupon the font (namely, the dot pattern) corresponding to afull-size numeric character, which represents the same number asrepresented by Kth one of the consecutive reduced numeric characters, isread from the CG-ROM 24 and is developed in an unused font developmentarea (hereunder referred to as an area 2, for example, an areasubsequent to a font development area (hereunder referred to as anarea 1) indicated by a printing pointer) independently of the area 1. Itis assumed that the character size in this case is determined accordingto the attributes of the character string to be printed. Further, thecorrespondence table representing the correspondence relation betweeneach (1/M)-scale reduced numeric character and a corresponding full-sizenumeric character is preliminarily stored in, for instance, the ROM 22.This table is utilized in the process to be performed in step 306.

Subsequently, the CPU 21 shrinks or compresses the developed font storedin the area 2 to (1/M) thereof only in the lateral direction in step305. Further, the shrunken font is stored in the Kth(1/M)-division-region of the area 1 as viewed in this figure. A methodof performing the logical OR, namely, the logical sum between 2 dotsadjoining in the lateral direction according to an equation given belowis employed as a method of compressing the developed font to (1/M)thereof only in the lateral direction.

    D.sub.new (X.sub.n, Y.sub.m)=D.sub.old (X.sub.Mn-(M-1), Y.sub.m)+D.sub.old (X.sub.Mn-(M-2), Y.sub.m) . . . +D.sub.old (X.sub.Mn-1, Y.sub.m)+D.sub.old (X.sub.Mn, Y.sub.m)

Thereafter, the CPU 21 judges in step 308 from a comparison between thecurrent value of the parameter K and the number L of the consecutivereduced numeric characters whether or not the development operationperformed on the last one of the consecutive L (1/M)scale reducednumeric characters is finished. If finished, the parameter K isincremented by 1 in step 309. Then, the CPU 21 returns to theaforementioned step 306.

Upon completion of the dot development of L consecutive (1/M)-scalereduced numeric characters in the area 1 designated by the printingpointer, which is performed by repeatedly carrying out the processingloop consisting of steps 306 to 309, an affirmative result is obtainedin step 308. Then, the CPU 21 finishes a sequence of the developmentoperations performed on the character to be developed this time byincrementing the printing pointer by 1 in step 310.

FIGS. 13(A) to 13(F) are diagrams for showing changes in the area 1 andthe area 2 in time sequence during the dot development, which isillustrated in FIG. 12, of consecutive three (1/3)-scale reduced numericcharacters "1", "2" and "0" is performed. Incidentally, in the case ofperforming the dot development of consecutive two (1/3)-scale reducednumeric characters "1" and "2", the contents of data stored in the area1 at the time of finishing the development are data as illustrated inFIG. 13(D).

As above described, in accordance with the third embodiment of thepresent invention, the tape printing device can deal with variousnumeric representation as users of the first and second embodimentsdesire.

Incidentally, partial modifications similar to those made to the secondembodiment can be made to the third embodiment. Thus, the description ofthe modifications of the third embodiment is omitted here.

Next, still another tape printing device embodying the presentinvention, namely, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed hereinbelow. The fourth embodiment does not relate to theadvantages in printing numeric characters differently from the secondand third embodiments, but relate to the advantages in printing theentire character string (hereunder referred to as a text) to be printed.

First, the electrical configuration of the entire tape printing device,namely, the fourth embodiment is illustrated similarly as in theaforementioned functional block diagram of FIG. 7. Therefore, thedescription of the electrical configuration of the entire tape printingdevice is omitted. The fourth embodiment, however, is different in partof the processing programs to be executed by the CPU 21 from theembodiment of FIG. 7.

Hereinafter, an operation of setting the retention format relating tothe characteristic features of the fourth embodiment, which is performedby the CPU 21, will be described in detail by referring to a flowchartof FIG. 15.

Here, note that a "format" is an arrangement or layout of a text to beprinted on tape or the like, which has "printing effects" on the text.Namely, the format has "printing effects" on the entire text, regardlessof whether a character string written longitudinally or vertically andanother character string written transversely or horizontally are mixedin the text, whether the text has a part containing characters of lines,the number of which is different from the number of lines of characterscontained in the remaining parts thereof, and whether the text has apart containing characters, the size of which is different from that ofcharacters contained in the remaining parts thereof. The "format"relates to "printing effects", for example, the length of a label, thelength of each of front and rear margins of a label, and whether or notmirror image characters are used as all characters.

There are two kinds of "formats": namely, a "retention or permanentformat" retained in the device; and a "text format" establishedcorresponding to each of texts to be printed. When a new text iscreated, the retention format is copied as the text format correspondingto this new text. In the case of the fourth embodiment, the alterationof a format is allowed only in the case that the format is the retentionformat.

When a format key of the key-operating portion 11 is operated, the CPU21 starts performing an operation of FIG. 15. First, in step 400, theCPU 21 takes in information (hereunder referred to as printing-positionattribute information) concerning the printing position, at which a textis printed, in a label and also concerning the label length. Further, instep 401, the CPU 21 identifies the printing-position attributeinformation.

The tape printing device of this embodiment permits a user to designatethe length of a label to be printed and ejected. There are the followingalternatives for the "printing-position attributes": namely, "normal";"front- or left-justification"; "center-justification"; "rear- orright-justification"; and "spacing".

In the case of the alternative "normal", a user does not designate orspecify the length of a label. Incidentally, the effective length of alabel is a sum of the lengths of front and rear margins and a text partas will be described later. Further, in the case of the alternative"front-justification", first, a front or left margin of the lengthdesignated by a user is secured in a label of the length designated bythe user. Thereafter, a part having a length being necessary as a textpart is secured in the label. Thus, a part of the remaining length ofthe label is used as a rear or right margin. Moreover, in the case ofthe alternative "center-justification", first, a part having a lengthbeing necessary as a text part is secured in the central portion of alabel of the length designated by a user. Thus, the remaining front andrear parts of the label are used as margins. Moreover, the margins haveat least sizes designated by the user. Furthermore, in the case of thealternative "rear-justification", first, a rear or right margin of thelength designated by a user is secured in a label of the lengthdesignated by the user. Thereafter, a part having a length beingnecessary as a text part is secured in front of the rear margin of thelabel. Thus, a part of the remaining length of the label in front of thetext part is used as a front or left margin. Additionally, in the caseof the alternative "spacing", first, front and rear margins, each ofwhich has a length designated by a user, are secured in a label whichalso has a length designated by a user. In the remaining central portionof the label, characters of a text are arranged by performing an "equalspacing". The CPU 21 usually prompts a user to select one of thesealternatives by using a menu system.

In the case that the alternative "normal" is selected, the CPU 21 takesin margin-length information in step 403. Subsequently, the CPU 21 takesin other kinds of format information in step 404. Further, in the casethat one of the alternatives "front-justification","rear-justification", "center-justification" and "spacing", the CPU 21takes in label-length information and margin-length information seriallyin steps 402 and 403. Then, the CPU 21 takes in other kinds of formatinformation.

A menu stored in a retention format area of the RAM 23 is also used asan initial menu displayed when taking in each of the aforementionedkinds of information. Further, when turning on the power, a defaultvalue of the retention format stored in the ROM 22 is set in theretention format area.

When instructed to finish the setting after the format information ofthe other kinds (concerning mirror image characters and so forth) isset, the CPU 21 causes the RAM 23 in steps 405 to 407 to store thecontents of the retention format, which is held in the retention formatbuffer, in the retention format area thereof. Moreover, the contents ofthe retention format are stored (namely, newly stored or stored afterupdating the existing contents) as the formats for texts, which arestored in a text area of the RAM 23 at that time. Thereafter, anoperation of returning to a state previous to the setting of theretention format. Thus, the CPU 21 finishes a sequence of steps of theretention format setting operation.

Next, an operation of taking in information representing the marginlength to be performed in step 403 will be described in detail byreferring to a flowchart of FIG. 14(A).

When starting such an operation, the CPU 21 causes the display in step410 to indicate initial candidate alternatives for a kind of a margin.Subsequently, the CPU 21 identifies an input key in step 411.Incidentally, for example, a kind set heretofore is used as the initialcandidate alternative. When a key input for instructing the change ofthe candidate alternative is performed, the CPU 21 changes and displaysthe candidate alternative in the order of changing the candidatealternative as illustrated in FIG. 14(B). Thereafter, the CPU 21 returnsto step 411. In contrast, when the selection key is operated, the CPU 21judges that the kind of a margin corresponding to the candidatealternative is definitely determined. Further, the CPU 21 causes the RAM23 in step 413 to store this candidate alternative in a buffer forsetting the retention format. Then, the CPU 21 returns to a main routine(see FIG. 15).

Even if practical or actual values of the length of a margin aredisplayed so as to make a user select, it is difficult for the user toimagine the appearance of a resultant label. Thus, in the case of thisfourth embodiment of the present invention, the expressions "extremelyshort", "slightly below", "average", "somewhat larger" and "extra-large"are displayed. Then, a user selects the length of margins according tothe displayed expressions. The lengths respectively corresponding to theexpressions "extremely short", "slightly below", "average", "somewhatlarger" and "extra-large" are invariably determined as illustrated inFIG. 14(C). A translation table therefor is stored in the ROM 22.Incidentally, although the lengths are indicated in units of millimeters(mm) in FIG. 14(C), the numbers of feeding pulses for the tape/ribbonfeeding motor 31, which is constituted by a stepping motor, are actuallystored as margin length data. Therefore, the values of the margin lengthindicated in FIG. 14(C) and FIG. 14(D) (to be described later) are roughvalues thereof.

In the case of this fourth embodiment of the present invention, inaddition to the aforementioned kinds of margins, whose invariant valuesare selected by a user, there are provided other kinds of margins, whichare represented by the terms "automatic", "continuous" and cutout".

Here, in the case of the kind of a margin, which is designated by theterm "automatic", the length of the margin is automatically setaccording to the width of tape. Further, the device is adapted so thateven when the width of the tape to be loaded in the device is changed,an approximately same label can be obtained. For example, the length ofthe margin is set according to the width of the tape, as illustrated inFIG. 14(D). The translation table therefor is also provided in the ROM22.

Incidentally, in both cases that the width of tape is 6 mm and that thewidth of tape is 9 mm, the length of the margin is set at 9 mm for thefollowing reason. Namely, in the case of this embodiment, the distancebetween the thermal head 32 and the cutter is 8 mm. Further, theprinting of the text part is not started by driving the thermal head 32until the tape/ribbon feeding motor 31, which is constituted by thestepping motor, enters a stationary rotation mode. Moreover, the lengthof tape fed in a time required to change the state of the tape/ribbonfeeding motor 31 from a stopped state to a stationary rotation state is1 mm or so. As a result, even if the printing of the text part isimmediately commenced when printing a label, a blank portion having alength of 9 mm is provided in front of the text part. Thus, in the casesof 6-mm wide tape and 9-mm wide tape, the length of this blank portion,namely, 9 mm is determined as the length of the margin. In the case ofusing the 6-mm wide tape, a shorter blank portion is favorable forobtaining an approximately same label. For such a purpose, the text partmay be printed by first printing cut marks and thereafter securing afront margin. In this case, a user is required to perform an operationof cutting a discharged label at the cut mark. Thus, this method isinconsistent with the term "automatic" that implies the unnecessarinessof such a manual operation. Consequently, even in the case of using the6-mm wide tape, the length of the margin is set at 9 mm.

Incidentally, in the case that the length of the margin is 1 mmindicated by the expression "extremely short", this fourth embodiment ofthe present invention employs a method which comprises the steps offirst printing cut marks, subsequently securing a front margin andthereafter printing the text part.

In the case of the kind of a margin, which is designated by the term"continuous", the text is printed by setting the length of the margin at0. Further, the label efficiency in the case of successively printingthe text a plurality of times is taken into consideration. Namely, asillustrated in FIG. 16(A), at the first printing operation, the tapeprinting device immediately prints cut marks on tape and then proceedsto the printing of the text part thereon. Upon completion of theprinting of the text part, the tape is stopped instead of furtherfeeding the tape. Similarly, at the second or later printing operation,the tape printing device immediately prints the cut marks on tape andsubsequently proceeds to the printing of the text part thereon. Uponcompletion of the printing of the text part, the tape is stopped withoutfurther feeding the tape.

Incidentally, the "front spare portion" of FIGS. 14 and 16 are blankportions of discharged tape, which do not compose a label portion, andthus are unnecessary portions for making a label and should be removed.

In the case of the kind of a margin, which is designated by the term"cutout", a pattern consisting only of intersections between cross-ruledlines of squared paper (namely, a pattern in which dots are arranged ina matrix manner (hereunder referred to as square-array dots or as asquare-array dot pattern) is superposed on the text part and is furtherprinted over the entire region to be printed. Namely, as illustrated inFIG. 16(B), when instructing to print, the printing of the square-arraydots is immediately started. Upon completion of the printing of thesquare-array dots on the front margin, the square-array dot pattern issuperposed on the text part and moreover, this pattern and the text partare printed. Further, after finishing the printing of the text part, thesquare-array dots are printed on the rear margin.

Here, the reason for providing the "cutout" is that when a user makes alabel, which has desirable front, rear, top and bottom margins, bycutting tape, the square-array dot pattern affords reference positionsfor cutting the tape and thus can provide added cutting-convenience.

Next, a printing operation, especially, an operation of forming thefront and rear margins will be described hereinafter by referring to aflowchart of FIG. 17.

In the text area of the RAM 23, texts, to which formats are given, arestored. When the device is in a state in which a text is stored in thetext area, a user can instructs the device at an arbitrary point of timeto print the text.

When a printing key is operated, the CPU 21 starts executing a printingprogram of FIG. 17. First, the PU 21 takes in tape width information instep 500. Then, the CPU 21 determines the length of each of the frontmargin, the text part and the rear margin (thus, the length of a label),a front feeding distance and a rear feeding distance according to theformat information stored in the text area. Here, the non-printingfeeding of tape is simply referred to as "feeding". Moreover, thenon-printing feeding of a part of tape in front of the text part isreferred to simply as "front feeding". Furthermore, the non-printingfeeding of a part of tape behind the text part is referred to simply as"rear feeding".

Here, in the case of the kind of a margin, which is designated by theterm "automatic", the tape width information is directly utilized fordetermining the length of each of the front and rear margins.

Incidentally, the tape width information may be taken into from thetape-width detecting sensor 12. Alternatively, the tape widthinformation preliminarily stored in the RAM 23 after inputted from thetape-width detecting sensor 12 when loading a tape cartridge into thedevice may be taken out of the RAM 23. Further, in the case that no tapeis loaded into the device, a warning message is displayed and then asequence of operations (not shown) are immediately finished.

Moreover, in the case that a part of tape (which is 8 mm in length)between the thermal head 32 and the cutter can be used as a frontmargin, this part of tape is used as the front margin, just as it is.Thus, the length of the front margin is not always equal to the frontfeeding distance. Basically, the rear feeding distance is a sum of thelength of the rear margin and the length (9 mm) of the positional shiftor deviation between the thermal head 32 and the cutter. The "rearfeeding" is performed so as to form the rear margin and to adjust therear end position of the rear margin (thus, the rear end position of thelabel) to the position of the cutter.

Thereafter, the CPU 21 performs the development of a text, which hasbeen stored in the text area of the RAM 23, in the printing buffer instep 502. If the text contains a half-size numeric character or a(1/M)-scale reduced numeric character, the development method of theaforesaid second or third embodiment is applied.

Next, the CPU 21 judges in step 503 whether or not cut marks areprinted. In the case that the cut marks are necessary, the cut marks areprinted in step 504. As above described, the printing of the cut marksis necessary in the cases of the kinds of margins respectivelycorresponding to the expressions "continuous" and "extremely short".Further, the printing of the cut marks may be performed by the dotdevelopment. Alternatively, the printing thereof may be performed bycontrolling dot on/off signals by means of software.

Thereafter, the CPU 21 judges in step 505 whether or not the frontfeeding is necessary. If necessary, the CPU 21 further judges in step506 whether or not the front feeding is attended with the printing ofthe square-array dots. Further, if not attended with the printing of thesquare-array dots, the CPU 21 drives and controls the tape/ribbonfeeding motor 31 in step 507, so that the front feeding is performed.Conversely, if attended with the printing of the square-array dots, theCPU 21 drives and controls not only the tape/ribbon feeding motor 31 butthe thermal head 32 suitably in step 508, so that the front feedingattended with the printing of the square-array dots is performed.

As is obvious from FIGS. 14(C) and 14(D), the printing of the frontfeeding is necessary in the cases of the kinds of margins respectivelycorresponding to the expressions "average", "somewhat larger","extra-large" and "cutout" (see FIG. 14(C)) and in the case of the kindof margins corresponding to the expression "automatic" when the 12-mmwide tape is loaded (see FIG. 14(D)). As above stated, in the case ofthe kind of margins corresponding to the expression "cutout", the frontfeeding is accompanied with the printing of the square-array dots.

Thereafter, in step 509, the CPU 21 drives and controls the tape/ribbonfeeding motor 31 and further drives and controls the thermal head 32according to the contents of the text developed in the printing buffer.Thereby, the printing of the text is performed.

Next, the CPU 21 judges in step 510 whether or not the rear feeding isnecessary. If necessary, the CPU 21 further judges in step 511 whetheror not the rear feeding is attended with the printing of thesquare-array dots. Further, if not attended with the printing of thesquare-array dots, the CPU 21 drives and controls the tape/ribbonfeeding motor 31 in step 513, so that the rear feeding is performed.Conversely, if attended with the printing of the square-array dots, theCPU 21 drives and controls not only the tape/ribbon feeding motor 31 butthe thermal head 32 appropriately in step 512, so that the rear feedingattended with the printing of the square-array dots is performed by thelength of the rear margin. Then, a mere rear feeding is performed untilthe rear end position of the rear margin reaches the position of thecutter.

When the rear feeding is finished, or when the rear feeding isunnecessary, the CPU 21 terminates the sequence of steps of the printingoperation. Then, the CPU 21 returns the screen of the display to thetext indicating image displayed at the time of instructing to print.

As is obvious from FIG. 14(C), the rear feeding is necessary in thecases other than the case corresponding to the expression "continuous".

Incidentally, throughout the period during which the front feeding, thetext printing and the rear feeding are performed, the tape/ribbonfeeding motor 31 is continuously driven and on the other hand, thethermal head 32 is driven at the position of the tape appropriately.Thus, the following control method is employed. Namely, actually, thenumber of total driving pulses is initially set for driving thetape/ribbon feeding motor 31. Then, each time when a pulse is applied tothe tape/ribbon feeding motor (namely, the stepping motor) 13, aparameter representing the number of total driving pulses is decrementedby 1. Thereafter, when the value, at which this parameter is set,becomes 0, the motor 31 is stopped.

Here, in the case that the operating key for "stopping the printing" isoperated, during the process consisting of steps 503 to 513, aninterruption operation of stopping the printing, which is similar to theinterruption operation as described in the description of the firstembodiment, is performed.

The square-array dots may be printed after performing the development ofthe square-array dot pattern in the printing buffer. Alternatively, theprinting of the square-array dots may be performed in asoftware-controlled manner when transferring a dot on/off signal to thethermal head 32. Further, alternatively, the printing of thesquare-array dots may be performed by providing a hardware structuretherefor in the head drive circuit 34.

FIG. 18 illustrates an example of the electrical configuration of thehardware for printing square-array dots, which is provided in the headdrive circuit 34.

As shown in FIG. 18, driving pulses for driving the tape/ribbon feedingmotor 31, as well as enabling signals which have a significant levelonly during the printing of square-array dots are printed, are suppliedto a square-array dot control portion 50. In the period time duringwhich the enabling signal has a significant level, the square-array dotcontrol portion 50 puts only one output pulse thereof into a significantstate every application of M motor drive pulses thereto. Further,OR-gates 51-1, . . . , 51-X, . . . respectively correspond to heatingelements of the thermal head 2, which are selected every Nth heatingelement thereof, and are adapted to output a signal representing thelogical sum between a dot on/off signal, which is supplied from thecontrol portion 20, and an output pulse of the square-array dot controlportion 50.

Therefore, an output pulse of each of the OR-gates 51-1, . . . , 51-x, .. . becomes in an on-state every Mth motor driving pulse, irrespectiveof the dot on/off signal supplied from the control portion 20. Moreover,because the OR-gates 51-1, . . . , 51-X, . . . respectively correspondto the heating elements of the thermal head 2, which are selected everyNth heating element thereof, the arrangement of dots formed on the tapecorrespondingly to these output pulses, respectively, becomes thesquare-array dot pattern.

Incidentally, the output pulses of the OR-gates 511, . . . , 51-X, . . .and the dot on/off signals are supplied to the heating element drivers(namely, the drivers selected from the drivers 54-1 to 54-Ycorrespondingly to a predetermined width) through AND-gates (namely, thegates selected from the gates 53-1 to 53-Y correspondingly to apredetermined width), which are set by a head effective-width controlportion 52 in such a way as to be in an enabled state. Thereby,predetermined ones of the heating elements are turned on or off.

In accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the"automatic" mode, in which a label is printed in such a manner as tohave fixed margins according to the tape width, is provided in thedevice correspondingly to one of the kinds of margins. Thus, when a userestablishes the "automatic" mode, a similar label can be obtained evenif the tape width is changed. Consequently, a user can easily obtain alabel which has margins as the user desires.

Moreover, in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the presentinvention, the "cutout" mode, in which the square-array dots are printedon the front and rear margins and the text part, is provided in thedevice correspondingly to one of the kinds of margins. Thus, when a userestablishes the "cutout" mode, the square-array dots are printed.Thereby, for the purpose of forming desirable margins, a user can cutthe tape by using the square-array dot as a reference for cutting.Consequently, this can facilitate the attainment of a label which hasmargins as a user desires.

Next, a fifth embodiment, which is an example of application of thefourth embodiment, of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings, by concentrating on thedifferences between the fifth embodiment and the fourth embodiment.

Regarding the hardware, the fifth embodiment is different from thefourth embodiment in that the fifth embodiment is provided with a cutteroperation detecting sensor for detecting that the cutters are operated.Incidentally, in the case that an automatic cutter is applied to thetape printing device, it is unnecessary for the fifth embodiment to havethe cutter operation detecting sensor.

In the case of the fourth embodiment, in consideration of the physicaldistance (8 mm) between the thermal head 32 and the cutter and the tapefeeding distance (1 mm) required until the tape/ribbon feeding motor 31constituted by a stepping motor reaches a stationary rotation state, themargins, each of which has a length of 9 mm and thus does not requirethe printing of cut marks, are established correspondingly to the 9-mmwide tape in the "automatic" mode. Therefore, the margins, each of whichhas a somewhat long length, are set correspondingly to other kinds ofthe tape width in the fourth embodiment.

In this fifth embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated inFIG. 19, the length of margins to be provided in the "automatic" modeare established so that similar labels can be obtained even in the casesof using the 6-mm wide tape and the 9-mm wide tape. Namely, in the caseof using the 6-mm wide tape, such a length of margins is set at 3 mm.Further, in the case of using the 9-mm wide tape, such a length ofmargins is set at 6 mm. Thus, in such cases, the length of the marginsis set in such a way as to be shorter than the length of 9 mm, which ispredetermined by taking the physical distance between the thermal head32 and the cutter and so on into consideration.

FIG. 20 illustrates a part of a printing operation for forming the frontor left margin having such a short length without printing cut marks.

Incidentally, the process illustrated in FIG. 20 is performed even inthe case of employing the kinds of margins respectively corresponding tothe expressions "extremely short" and "slightly below", in which thelength of the margins is set in such a way as to be shorter than thelength of 9 mm which is determined according to the physical distancebetween the thermal head 32 and the cutter and so forth. Further, thepart of the operation, which is illustrated in FIG. 20, corresponds tothe process consisting of steps 506 to 509 of FIG. 17.

Moreover, a printing-operation stopping position (to be described later)is determined (see step 501) before the part of the printing operation,which is illustrated in FIG. 20, is performed. Incidentally, theprinting-operation stopping position is a position at which a part oftape, whose length is equal to, for example, 9 mm (namely, equal to thelength of a margin), is printed.

When enters step 600 on condition that the front feeding is unnecessary,the CPU 21 drives and controls the tape/ribbon feeding motor 31.Moreover, the CPU 21 drives and controls the thermal head 32 accordingto the contents of a text developed in the printing buffer and thuscauses this thermal head to perform the printing operation. Then, whenthe leading or front end position of the printed text reaches aposition, which is away from the position of the cutter toward thethermal head 32 by a distance that is equal to the predetermined lengthof the front margin, the CPU 21 stops the operation of printing the texttemporarily in step 601. Thereafter, in step 602, the CPU 21 controlsthe display drive circuit 36 and thus causes the liquid crystal display35 to display a message that prompts a user to operate the cutter. Then,in step 603, the CPU 21 waits for an operation detecting signal comingfrom the cutter operation detecting sensor. When receiving the operationdetecting signal, the CPU 21 drives and controls the tape/ribbon feedingmotor 31 in step 604. Moreover, the CPU 21 drives and controls thethermal head 32 according to the contents of the text developed in theprinting buffer. Thereby, the CPU 21 causes the thermal head 32 toresume the operation of printing the text.

Incidentally, in the case that the tape printing device is provided withan automatic cutter, the operation to be performed in steps 602 and 603is replaced with a tape cutting operation by driving the automaticcutter.

As a result of performing such operations, a part of the tape, which isprovided between the thermal head 32 and the cutter when instructing toprint, can be utilized as the front margin (see FIG. 22 (to be describedlater)).

In the case of the fifth embodiment, it is premised that the tapeprinting device cannot release the tape from the driving force of thetape/ribbon feeding motor 31. Thus, if a text is not printed until themotor reaches a stationary rotation state, an erroneous blank partcorresponding to the distance by which the tape is fed during the motoris accelerated after and is decelerated before the interruption of theprinting operation and thus the printing operation is not performed, isformed in the text part.

Thus, in the case of this fifth embodiment of the present invention, theprinting of a text is performed even when accelerating and deceleratingthe tape/ribbon feeding motor 31 during the process of FIG. 20. Duringaccelerating and decelerating this motor, naturally, the tape feedingspeed is lower than the speed in the stationary rotation state.Therefore, when accelerating and decelerating this motor, the durationor on-time (namely, the pulse width) of the dot on/off signal is changedfrom that thereof when the motor is in the stationary rotation state.

FIG. 21 is a diagram for illustrating such a change in pulse width ofthe dot on/off signal. In the case of the fifth embodiment, informationas illustrated in FIG. 21 is stored in the ROM 22. Incidentally, it isassumed that the tape/ribbon feeding motor 31 requires five drive pulsesduring the state of the motor is changed from the stopped state to thestationary rotation state when accelerating the motor, and during thestate of the motor is changed from the stationary rotation state to thestopped state when decelerating the motor.

In the first drive pulse duration at the time of accelerating the motor,and in the fifth drive pulse duration at the time of decelerating themotor, the tape is fed at the lowest speed. Thus, the duration oron-time (namely, the pulse width) of the dot on/off signal is minimized.As the speed of the motor in a drive pulse duration becomes closer tothe speed thereof when being in the rotation state, the drive pulseduration is made to be closer to the duration or on-time (namely, thepulse width) of the dot on/off signal when being in a normal state.

Through such a control operation, sufficient print quality can beobtained even when performing the printing operation during thetape/ribbon feeding motor is accelerated and decelerated.

FIG. 22 illustrates how a 3-mm long front margin is formed. Wheninstructing to print, a part, whose physical length is 8 mm, of the tapeis present between the thermal head 23 and a cutter 60, as illustratedin FIG. 22(A). In such a state, the CPU advances to the process of FIG.20, so that the printing of a text is commenced. Thereafter, when theprinting of the text is stopped temporarily, a part having a length,which is the predetermined length (3 mm) of the front margin, is formedbetween the position of the cutter 60 and the front end position of thetext, as illustrated in FIG. 22(B). When a user cuts the tape inaccordance with a message, which prompts the user to do so, in thissituation, a label comes to have a desirable front margin, asillustrated in FIG. 22(C).

Thus, because the "automatic" mode, in which the tape is printed in sucha manner as to have a margin of the fixed length according to the widthof the tape, is provided in this fifth embodiment of the presentinvention as a mode of the kind of margins, a user can obtain similarlabels when the "automatic" mode is established in the device, even ifthe width of the tape is changed. Moreover, this can facilitate theattainment of a label which has margins as the user desires.Furthermore, in case of the fifth embodiment, the "cutout" mode, inwhich the square-array dots are printed on the front and rear marginsand the text part, as a mode of the kind of margins. Therefore, when theuser establishes the "cutout" mode, the user can cut the tape by usingthe square-array dot as a reference for cutting. Consequently, this alsocan facilitate the attainment of a label which has margins as the userdesires.

Additionally, in accordance with the fifth embodiment, even when thelength of margins is shorter than the predetermined length, a part oftape, which is present in front of the thermal head, can be utilized asa front margin. Thereby, the efficiency in using the tape can beincreased.

Besides, in the case of the fifth embodiment, a text is printed on tapeeven when accelerating and decelerating the tape. Thus, the tapeprinting device has not to use a part, which is fed during the tape isaccelerated and decelerated, of the tape as a margin. The efficiency inutilizing tape can be further enhanced from this standpoint.

Further, in accordance with the fifth embodiment, on the whole, thetotal length of fed tape, as well as the power consumption, can bereduced.

In the foregoing description, additional embodiments obtained bymodifying the fourth and fifth embodiments have been described. However,other modifications of the fifth embodiment can be describedhereinbelow.

Even in the case of setting the "automatic" mode, in which short marginsare provided, as a mode of the kind of margins, the printing method, bywhich the tape has cut marks, may be employed.

Further, even in the case of setting the "automatic" mode, in which thelength of margins is determined according to the width of tape loaded inthe device, as a mode of the kind of margins, the stages or levels asindicated by the expressions "average" and "slightly below" may beprovided.

In the foregoing description, there has been described the embodimentsin which the "cutout" mode is established as a mode of the kind ofmargins. However, a mode of the kind of margins may be designated byusing other methods. For example, the square-array dots may be printedby providing a "cutout printing key" in the device in addition to theprinting key and by designating the printing of the square-array dots.Moreover, in this case, space or blank portions established in the textpart may be utilized as the margins.

The method of printing a text even at the time of accelerating anddecelerating tape may be employed in the case that although theinterruption of the printing operation is not caused, the margin lengthis longer than the predetermined length.

Next, a further tape printing device embodying the present invention,namely, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be describedhereinbelow. A characteristic aspect of the sixth embodiment resides inthe printing method (namely, the enlargement printing) for forming apseudo label whose width is larger than the width of tape loaded in thetape printing device.

Incidentally, the electrical configuration of the entire tape printingdevice, namely, the sixth embodiment is illustrated similarly as in theaforementioned functional block diagram of FIG. 4. Therefore, thedescription of the electrical configuration of the entire tape printingdevice is omitted. The sixth embodiment, however, is different from theembodiment of FIG. 4 in that a processing program for the enlargementprinting is prepared as the processing program to be executed by the CPU21.

The tape printing device of this embodiment is provided with anoperating element for the normal printing of a text and anotheroperating element for the enlargement printing of a text as theoperating elements for printing. When the operating element for thenormal printing is operated, the aforementioned printing operation asillustrated in FIG. 17 or 20 is performed.

Thus, the enlargement printing operation, which is characteristicoperation of this sixth embodiment of the present invention, will bedescribed hereinafter.

When the operating element for the enlargement printing is operated by auser during a text is displayed on the screen of the liquid crystaldisplay 5, the CPU 21 starts executing the enlargement-printingprocessing program illustrated in FIG. 23.

Further, the CPU 21 first causes the liquid crystal display 35 in step701 to display a message that prompts a user to designate an enlargementratio. Then, the CPU 21 takes in the enlargement ratio N designated bythe user in response to this message. At that time, the CPU 21 may causethe display 35 to display all of numeric characters representing theenlargement ratio on the screen thereof so that the user can select anenlargement ratio by using a cursor and the selection operating element.Alternatively, the device may cause the user to input the numericcharacters representing a enlargement ratio and thereby select thisenlargement ratio. For example, in the case that the enlargement ratiosaccepted by the device are small such as 2 times or 3 times, the formermethod is applied to the operation.

When the enlargement ratio N is designated, the CPU 21 determines theprinting attributes such as the front and rear margins and the characterpositions corresponding to each part of the tape, which is divided intoN portions in the longitudinal direction of the tape, according to theenlargement ratio N, the width of the tape loaded into the device, whichis detected by the tape-width detecting sensor 12, and the attributesdesignated corresponding to a character string to be printed, in step702.

In the case of this embodiment, various kinds of attributes, such as akind of a character size, a method for providing the front and rearmargins and the length of printing tape, are imparted to the characterstring. Although these attributes are determined on condition that thedesignated values thereof are used for the normal printing, theseattributes are also utilized in the case of the enlargement printing.

For instance, when the enlargement ratio N is 2 in the case that actualprinting attributes, such as the positions of characters and the lengthof the front and rear margins, are determined at the time of performingthe normal printing, as illustrated in FIG. 24(A), on the basis of thewidth of the loaded tape, which is detected by the tape-width detectingsensor 12, and the attributes designated correspondingly to a characterstring to be printed, the actual printing attributes, such as thepositions of the characters and the length of the front and rearmargins, are determined in such a manner that each of the longitudinaland lateral sizes of the characters printed on a finished label is 2times the corresponding normal size of the characters as illustrated inFIG. 24(B) and that the tape, in which the finished labels are containedas illustrated in FIG. 24(C), is obtained.

When the printing attributes are determined in this way, the CPU 21advances to the concrete printing process consisting of step 703 and theremaining steps. First, in step 703, a variable n representing a rownumber (namely, a number assigned to a row or layer of sub-sectionsaligned in the direction of width of tape) is set at 1. Moreover, thetape is fed by the length of the front margin (indicated by referencecharacter 2d in FIG. 24) without printing characters by driving thetape/ribbon feeding motor 31.

Next, the CPU 21 goes forward to step 704 whereupon the CG-ROM 24 isaccessed according to a character code and a control code, which arestored in the RAM 23, and subsequently, output data of this CG-ROM 24 isstored in the printing memory 23a. Further, the CPU 21 drives the headdrive circuit 34 according to the font information stored in theprinting memory 23a. Thereby, a part of a character string preliminarilyinputted by the user, which corresponds to an nth row of sub-sections ofthe tape T, is printed on this tape T. At the time of performing thisaccess, the CPU 21 accesses the printing memory 23a corresponding to theenlargement ratio N designated by the user. Thereby, sub-sections of thetape belonging to the nth row, which is designated by the variable n,are printed at the enlargement ratio N designated by the user.

Here, in the case that the font information stored in the CG-ROM 24 isbit-map font information, the font information is represented by thearrangement of dot data in rows and columns, namely, by a set oftwo-dimensional dot data, each of which has a logical value "1" or "0".In the case of the normal printing, this font information is developedover the printing locations in the printing memory 23a, which areindicated by using lateral and longitudinal addresses, namely,two-dimensional addresses. Further, the thermal head 32 is driven insequence according to the developed dot data. Thereby, each charactercan be printed according to a corresponding number of points, which isstored in the CG-ROM 24.

In contrast, in the case of the enlargement printing, N-fold dot datacan be obtained by first repeatedly developing the same dot data N-timesin the lateral direction, and subsequently, repeatedly developing thesame dot data N-times in the longitudinal direction, during adevelopment operation. Incidentally, the tape printing device may beadapted so that dot data corresponding sub-sections of tape, whichbelong to each row, may be read by controlling addresses when reading soas to drive the thermal head 32, after the font information is furtherdeveloped for all rows of sub-sections of the tape when the fontinformation is developed for sub-sections of the tape, which are of thefirst row (regarding an illustrated image of a result of thedevelopment, refer to FIG. 24(B)).

Further, in the case that the printing of a text written longitudinallyor vertically on tape is designated at the time of performing such adevelopment operation, dot data are read from the CG-ROM 24 byinterchanging each longitudinal address with a corresponding lateraladdress and are then stored in the printing memory 23a.

In FIG. 25, reference characters MU denote a partial character stringthat corresponds to a sub-section (incidentally, this sub-sectioncorresponds to an upper half of a resultant pseudo label) of the tape,which belongs to a first row, and is processed as above described and isprinted on the tape T, in the case where 2 is selected as theenlargement ratio N.

Moreover, when printing the partial character string, the CPU 21controls the driving width of the head drive circuit 4 according to adetection signal sent from the tape-width detecting sensor 12 in such away that a margin is formed at each of the top and bottom edge portionsof the tape T as viewed in the figure. Furthermore, when printing thepartial character string, the CPU 21 causes the non-printing feeding ofthe tape T between characters, if necessary. Thereby, the partialcharacter string can be printed at the character intervals set by theuser.

Upon completion of printing the partial character string correspondingto the nth row in this way, the CPU 21 subsequently goes to step 705whereupon the tape T is fed by the predetermined length without printingcharacters. Thereby, a blank portion (see 2d in FIG. 24(C)) to beprovided at the rear end portion of a label is made.

Next, the CPU 21 goes to step 706 whereupon it is judged whether or notthe value of the variable n is patched with the enlargement ratio N.Such a judgment is equivalent to a judgement made on whether or not theprinting of all sub-sections of the tape is completed. Therefore, forinstance, in the case that the enlargement ratio is 2, when the printingof only the upper half MU of the character string is finished, anegative result of this judgement is obtained. Thus, the CPU 21 goes tostep 707.

The CPU 21 increments the variable n by 1 in step 707. Subsequently, inthe next step 708, the CPU 21 causes the thermal head to print a markerM. Here, note that the marker M consists of, for example, two points(see FIG. 25), regardless of the enlargement ratio. Incidentally, theprinting of the marker M may be performed by storing font informationcorresponding to the marker M in the character-generator ROM 24 andthereafter developing this font information in the printing memory 23a.Alternatively, the printing of the marker M may be performed byproviding an on/off conversion circuit, which is operative to convertoff-dots into on-dots selectively and forcefully when a command orinstruction is given to a transfer path from the printing memory 23a tothe head drive circuit 34, in the device.

The CPU 21 causes the thermal head to print the intersections among theboundaries of the top and bottom margin regions and the parting lines ofthe sub-sections of the nth and (n+1)th rows (alternatively, suchintersections and several points adjacent to each of the intersections)as the markers M. Therefore, a user, who uses this printed tape, caneliminate the top and bottom margins easily and accurately by simplyremoving the top and bottom edge portions of the tape T by means of acutter or the like by employing the markers M as reference points.Moreover, when a plurality of sub-parts of tape (T1 and T2) are stuck toone another, an occurrence of a blank portion or an unnatural overlapbetween the upper and lower character strings can effectively beprevented.

After printing the markers M in this manner, the CPU 21 goes to step 709whereupon the tape T is fed by the predetermined length without printingcharacters. Thereby, the tape T is fed by a distance corresponding tothe length of a blank part of the leading portion of a label.Thereafter, the CPU 21 returns to step 704. Then, the CPU 21 causes thethermal head to perform the printing operation on the second row ofsub-sections of the tape.

After performing the printing operation on the respective sub-sectionsof the tape repeatedly, when the printing of characters on the final rowof sub-sections of the tape is finished (see, for example, a sub-sectionMD of FIG. 25(A)), an affirmative result of the judgement is obtained instep 706.

Then, the CPU 21 advances to step 710 whereupon the tape T is fed by thedistance L (see FIG. 5) from the printing portion of the thermal head 32to the cutters 38 and 39 without printing characters. Thus, thisprocedure is completed. The tape printing device returns to the statethereof obtained upon instructing the enlargement printing. As a resultof this non-printing feeding of the tape, in the case of the sub-partsT1 and T2 to which the tape is divided by using, for example, themarkers M as reference points, the distance between the terminating endposition of the character string and that of the sub-part T1 of the tapeand the distance between the terminating end position of the characterstring and that of the sub-part T2 of the tape can be maintained at anequal value.

FIG. 25(A) illustrates the tape T discharged from the tape printingdevice after the enlargement printing is performed at the enlargementratio of 2. After this tape T, the printing of which has been completed,is divided into two sub-parts T1 and T2 by using the positions of themarkers M printed on the tape T as reference positions, the top andbottom margins of each of the sub-parts of the tape T are removedtherefrom. Then, these sub-parts T1 and T2 are arranged in the directionof width of the tape and are further stuck on the spine of a file or thelike. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 25(B), a large label can be formed asif large characters were printed on a single wide tape.

Therefore, in accordance with the sixth embodiment, when partialcharacter strings are serially printed so as to form a label having awidth which is larger than the width of tape, the markers indicating thedividing positions are printed on the tape. Thereby, a user can cut thetape T in such a manner that the sizes of the front and rear endportions of each sub-part of the tape can be made to be equal to thoseof the front and rear end portions of any other sub-part thereof,respectively, namely, in such a way that an occurrence of a shift inposition of each character among the sub-parts of the tape caneffectively be prevented.

Further, in accordance with this embodiment, the marker definitelydefines the top and bottom margins in the direction of width of thetape. Thereby, unnecessary top and bottom margins can be eliminated byusing this marker as a reference position. Consequently, a pseudo widelabel can be formed accurately.

Incidentally, in the foregoing description, the marker is formed byprinting points in the case of the sixth embodiment. The presentinvention, however, is not limited thereto. For example, a cross-shapedmark, which has lateral and longitudinal sizes, may be employed as themarker.

Further, in the case of this embodiment, the top and bottom margins inthe direction of width of the tape are indicated by the marker forindicating the dividing positions. A marker for indicating the top andbottom margins in the direction of the width of the tape may be providedseparately from the marker for indicating the dividing positions.

Moreover, in the case of the tape printing device of this embodiment,the top and bottom margins in the direction of the width of the tape areautomatically provided on the tape. The present invention, however, canbe applied to a tape printing device that does not have the function ofautomatically forming the top and bottom margins.

In the foregoing description, there has been described the case that themarker is formed at the dividing position. Moreover, markers of such akind may be printed at the forefront edge and the tail edge of the tape.

Incidentally, in the foregoing description, there has been described thetape printing device of this embodiment in which the enlargementprinting is started by being provided with the operating element(namely, a dedicated operating element or a general purpose operatingelement) for the enlargement printing, which is different from theoperating element for the normal printing. The tape printing device,however, may be adapted so that attributes concerning the kind of theprinting are employed as the attributes of a character string and thatthe enlargement printing is started by judging what the attributecorresponding to an operating element for printing is, when thisoperating element for printing is operated. In this case, when theenlargement printing is selected, various kinds of attributes concerningthe character string may be adapted to have values corresponding to theselected kind of the printing.

What is claimed is:
 1. A tape printing device comprising:input means forinputting characters and symbols; storage means for storing datarepresenting said input characters and symbols; tape-width detectingmeans for detecting width of a loaded tape; enlargement printing commandreceiving means for receiving command information concerning anenlargement printing mode, in which a pseudo label, whose size is Ntimes that of a label obtained in a normal printing mode, is obtainedwhen arranging tape-sections widthwise of the tape in such a manner asto join, after dividing a tape the printing of which has been completed,into N tape length sections, wherein N is an integer of at least 2;printing-attribute determining means for determining aprinting-attribute of each of said N tape sections, in accordance withdata representing said characters and symbols stored in said storagemeans and tape width detected by said tape-width detecting means; andprinting means for serially printing on the tape N character-stringportions, in which a character string is divided across the width of thetape in accordance with the printing attributes, as determined by saidprinting-attribute determining means, respectively corresponding to saidtape length sections.
 2. A tape printing device comprising:input meansfor inputting characters and symbols; storage means for storing datarepresenting said input characters and symbols; printing attributedesignating means for designating, in a normal printing mode, a printingattribute corresponding to a string of said input characters andsymbols; enlargement printing command receiving means for receivingcommand information concerning an enlargement printing mode, in which apseudo label, whose size in N times that of a label obtained in a normalprinting mode, is obtained, when arranging the tape-sections widthwiseof the tape in such a manner as to join after dividing a tape for whichprinting has been completed, into N tape length sections, wherein N isan integer of at least 2; printing-attribute determining means fordetermining a printing-attribute of each of said N tape length sections,in accordance with data representing said characters and symbols storedin said storage means and the printing attribute designated by theprinting attribute designating means; and printing means for seriallyprinting on the tape N character-string portions, in which a characterstring is divided widthwise of the tape according to the printingattributes, as determined by said printing-attribute determining means,respectively corresponding to said tape length sections.
 3. The tapeprinting device according to claim 2, wherein the printing attributedesignating means designates a value representing a length of each ofmargins provided, respectively, in front of and behind a characterstring to be printed on a label.
 4. The tape printing device accordingto claim 3, wherein the value representing the length of each of themargins is determined in accordance with the integer N.
 5. A tapeprinting device comprising:input means for inputting characters andsymbols; storage means for storing data representing said inputcharacters and symbols; tape-width detecting means for detecting widthof a loaded tape; printing attribute designating means for designating,in a normal printing mode, a printing attribute corresponding to astring of said input characters and symbols; enlargement printingcommand receiving means for receiving command information concerning anenlargement printing mode, in which a pseudo label, whose size is Ntimes that of a label obtained in a normal printing mode, is obtained,when arranging tape-sections widthwise of the tape in such a manner asto join, after dividing a tape the printing of which has been completed,into N tape length sections, wherein N is an integer of at least 2;printing-attribute determining means for determining aprinting-attribute of each of said N tape length sections, in accordancewith data representing said characters and symbols stored in saidstorage means, the tape width detected by said tape-width detectingmeans and the printing attribute designated by said printing attributedesignating means; and printing means for serially printing on the tapeN character string portions, in which a character string is dividedacross the width of the tape according to the printing attributes, asdetermined by said printing-attribute determining means, respectivelycorresponding to said tape length sections.
 6. A method of printing acharacter string on a tape utilizing an automatic printing apparatusincluding a memory, wherein the widthwise length of the printedcharacter string is larger than a tape width of a loaded tape, saidmethod comprising:designating an enlargement ratio; detecting the tapewidth of the loaded tape; selecting one of plural character attributesfor printing a character string; and determining printing parameters foreach of plural tape sections in accordance with the enlargement ratio,the tape width and the selected character attribute, the tape sectionsbeing obtained by dividing the tape across the length of the tape. 7.The method of printing a character string on a tape according to claim 6wherein said printing parameters include positions of the characters onthe tape and front and rear margins for the character string.
 8. Themethod of printing a character string on a tape according to claim 6,wherein said step of designating an enlargement ratioincludes:displaying plural numeric characters, each representing anenlargement ratio on a display means and selecting a desired one of theplural numeric characters thus displayed.
 9. The method of printing acharacter string on a tape according to claim 6, wherein said step ofdesignating an enlargement ratio includes:inputting a desired numericcharacter representing an enlargement ratio through input means.
 10. Amethod of printing a character string on a tape utilizing an automaticprinting apparatus including a memory, wherein the widthwise length ofthe printed character string is larger than a tape width of a loadedtape, said method comprising:designating an enlargement ratio; detectingthe tape width of the loaded tape; selecting one of plural characterattributes for printing a character string; determining printingparameters for each of plural tape sections in accordance with theenlargement ratio, the tape width and the selected character attribute,the tape sections being obtained by dividing the tape across the lengthof the tape; and inputting into the automatic printing apparatus acommand for printing the character string vertically, interchangingvertical addresses with corresponding horizontal addresses and storingthe addresses thus interchanged in the memory.
 11. The method ofprinting a character string on a tape according to claim 6, furthercomprising printing a marker on each of the tape sections, each of themarkers serving as a reference point when the tape sections are cut. 12.The method of printing a character string on a tape according to claim6, wherein lengths of the printed character strings on each of therespective tape sections are the same.